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| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-02 05:02:57 -0800 |
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| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-02 05:02:57 -0800 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d0181f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #62537 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62537) diff --git a/old/62537-8.txt b/old/62537-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d78cda2..0000000 --- a/old/62537-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8880 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Home Life in All Lands--Book III--Animal -Friends and Helpers, by Charles Morris - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Home Life in All Lands--Book III--Animal Friends and Helpers - -Author: Charles Morris - -Release Date: July 1, 2020 [EBook #62537] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOME LIFE IN ALL LANDS--BOOK 3 *** - - - - -Produced by MFR, Karin Spence and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - Home Life in All Lands - - SIXTH IMPRESSION - - - - - _HOME LIFE IN ALL LANDS_ - - _By CHARLES MORRIS_ - - - BOOK I - - HOW THE WORLD LIVES - - "It is the most intimate, and gives us the best idea of the - ordinary life of these strange people to whom our author - introduces us. The volume is both interesting and valuable in - an unusual degree. A capital book for school or home." - - --_The School Journal, New York._ - - _One hundred and twelve illustrations. 316 pages._ - - - BOOK II - - MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF UNCIVILIZED PEOPLES - - "Excellent for school or home use. This volume deals with the - manners and customs of uncivilized peoples. The illustrations - are well chosen and the style is admirable."--_Providence - Journal._ - - _One hundred illustrations. 322 pages._ - - - BOOK III - - ANIMAL FRIENDS AND HELPERS - - _Fully illustrated. 340 pages._ - - - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - PUBLISHERS PHILADELPHIA - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by permission of The Philadelphia Museums. - - Transport Elephants, Perak, Federated Malay States] - - - - - HOME LIFE - IN ALL LANDS - - BY - - CHARLES MORRIS - - Author of "Historical Tales," "History of the World," - "History of the United States," etc. - - BOOK III. - - ANIMAL FRIENDS AND HELPERS - - _ILLUSTRATED_ - - [Illustration] - - PHILADELPHIA & LONDON - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - - PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - PREFACE - - -In the earlier volumes of this series, man, as the maker of and dweller -in the home, was dealt with in the varied aspects of his existence. But -man is not the only occupant of the home. He has brought around him -an interesting family of animals of great variety in form and habit, -many of them kept as pets and companions, many aiding him in his sports -and his labors, others supplying him with meat, milk, butter, eggs -and other forms of food. It is a varied and active sub-family of the -household, the barnyard and field with which we here propose to deal, -its inmates varying in size from the lordly elephant to the busy bee, -and in intelligence from the wide-awake dog to the stupid sheep, a -multitude of running, flying, and swimming forms brought together from -every domain of nature and serving man in a hundred ways. - -The full story of this wider family of the home would be a long one. -These humbler animals have a life of their own as interesting in its -way as that of man, their master and friend. We cannot tell it all in -the small space at our command, but the little we have here brought -together concerning the varieties and habits of our household animals -must have some considerable degree of interest to readers. This is -especially the case with the many stories that can be told of their -powers of thought and special habits and modes of action, and the -reader will find here many striking anecdotes of animal intelligence -selected out of the multitude that are on record. The story of the -whole animal kingdom is pleasing and instructive, and that of the -domestic animals, those which have come under man's special care, is -specially so, as it is hoped the readers of this work will discover. -Illustrations have been secured from a large variety of sources, a -number, picturing the rarer animals, being reproduced from "Chambers' -Encyclopedia." - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I HOUSEHOLD PETS AND COMRADES 13 - - The Dog, Man's Faithful Friend 15 - - The Many Kinds of Dogs 19 - - Anecdotes of Dog Wit and Wisdom 29 - - The Cat, our Fireside Inmate 42 - - Other Four-Footed Pets 52 - - - II OUR SINGLE-HOOFED HELPERS 61 - - The Horse in all Lands 63 - - Racer and Hunter 69 - - War-Horse and Working-Horse 74 - - The Horse Tamer 77 - - The Arab and His Horse 79 - - Anecdotes of the Horse 82 - - The Ass, Zebra, and Mule 86 - - - III CLOVEN-HOOFED DRAUGHT ANIMALS 92 - - The Ox and Buffalo 94 - - The Lapland Reindeer 100 - - The Ship of the Desert 102 - - The Dromedary 107 - - The Llama and Alpaca 111 - - The Arctic Beast of Burden 113 - - The Elephant in Man's Service 117 - - Anecdotes of the Elephant 124 - - - IV ANIMALS WHICH YIELD FOOD TO MAN 133 - - The Cattle of the Field 134 - - Milk-Giving Cows 136 - - Beef-Making Cattle 141 - - In the Bull Ring 145 - - The Wool-Clad Sheep 149 - - Wool Shearing and Weaving 156 - - The Bearded Goat 158 - - In the Pig-sty 165 - - - V THE BIRDS OF THE POULTRY YARD 175 - - The Hen and its Brood 176 - - The Game-Cock and its Battles 182 - - The Web-Footed Duck and Goose 186 - - The Turkey and Guinea-Fowl 193 - - The Swan, an Image of Grace 199 - - The Proud and Gaudy Peacock 204 - - The Dove-Like Pigeon 207 - - The Ostrich and its Splendid Plumes 213 - - - VI WINGED AND TUNEFUL HOME PETS 217 - - The Canary and its Song 218 - - The Marvellous Mocking Bird 222 - - Other Caged Songsters 224 - - The Parrot as a Talker 230 - - Other Talking Birds 236 - - - VII OUR COUSIN, THE MONKEY 247 - - The Monkey as a Pet 248 - - How Monkeys Take Revenge 250 - - Imitation, a Monkey Trait 253 - - The Kinds of Monkeys 259 - - How Monkeys Teach Themselves 264 - - Anecdotes of the Ape 270 - - Feeling and Friendliness in the Monkey 273 - - - VIII OTHER ANIMALS USED AS PETS 283 - - Pets of the Aquarium 286 - - Snake Charmers 289 - - The Mongoose and other Small Animals 297 - - Hawking or Falconry 309 - - - IX WILD ANIMALS IN MAN'S SERVICE 317 - - The Dancing Bear 319 - - The Seal and the Alligator 323 - - The Stork, Cormorant, and Albatross 327 - - The Honey-Giving Bee 334 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - Bird Dogs "Pointing" Partridges 16 - - Fox Cubs at Mouth of Den 18 - - Beagle Hound Chasing a Rat 21 - - Scottish Shepherd Dog Gathering His Flock 23 - - The St. Bernard Dog and His Friends 25 - - A Funny Quartette of Pekingese Puppies 28 - - Hounds Overtaking a Fox 32 - - The Dog Guardian. "Can You Talk" 35 - - A Dog Team Hauling Milk in Antwerp 37 - - Deerhound, Rossie Ralph 40 - - The Mother Cat and Her Playful Brood 42 - - The Canada Lynx, the House Cat's "Cousin" 45 - - Ready for Business 47 - - The Hungry Babes and Playful Kitten 51 - - Rabbits near Their Burrow 55 - - The Otter, One of Nature's Fishers 57 - - A Guinea-Pig. Pig Only by Name, not by Nature 58 - - Friends and Comrades 62 - - Rosa Bonheur's Famous Picture of the Horse Fair 64 - - Pure Bred Clydesdale Draft Horse 68 - - A Roman Chariot Race 70 - - Thoroughbred Racing Horse 72 - - Virginia Deer 74 - - A Logging Team with a Heavy Load 76 - - The Famous Arab Steeds and Desert Riders 80 - - A Pair of Prize Mules 86 - - Mexican Donkey Waiting for the Last Straw 87 - - The Striped Zebra of Africa 89 - - The Native Ox Cart of Delhi, India 93 - - Hauling Sugar Cane in Puerto Rico 95 - - The White Yak of the Asiatic Mountains 96 - - The American Bison alone on the Prairie 97 - - Cultivating Rice Field with the Chinese Ox. Hawaii 98 - - The Carabao 100 - - Herd of Reindeer 102 - - A Sahara Desert Scene 104 - - A Rug Laden Caravan 107 - - Camel Hauling Water 109 - - Yaks Picketed near Camp in India 110 - - A Llama Train Descending the Mountains of Peru 112 - - Dog Train Hauling Provision in Northern Canada 114 - - Alaskan Dog Team--The Winter Mail Carriers 116 - - Elephant Piling Lumber 120 - - A Military Elephant on Duty. India 122 - - A State Elephant of India with Howdah 130 - - Making Friends with a Guernsey Calf 134 - - Back to the Pasture After the Milking 138 - - The Holstein Cow, a Great Milk Giver 140 - - Ox Team and Native Cart, with Wooden Wheels 142 - - An Ox-Team on a Florida Plantation 145 - - Carting Manila Hemp. Philippine Islands 147 - - Moose in Harness 148 - - Cattle and Sheep of the Scottish Highlands 152 - - The Merino Ram, the Great Wool Bearer 155 - - The Alpine Ibex 160 - - Milk Goats in the Alps 162 - - A Pair of Angora Goats 164 - - The Wart Hog 167 - - A Fat Berkshire Hog 170 - - The Razor-back Hog of the South 173 - - Animals of the Farm and Poultry Yard 174 - - Feeding the Chickens in the Farm-yard 177 - - English Dorking Cock and Hen 181 - - Willie and His Pet Ducks 187 - - An Assault by Hungry Geese 190 - - Gander Hissing at an Enemy 192 - - Driving Turkeys to Market 197 - - The Black Swan of Australia 201 - - The Graceful White Swan Swimming 203 - - The Peacock, the Most Gorgeous of Home Birds 205 - - Pigeon Types. Carrier and Short Faced Tumbler 212 - - On a California Ostrich Farm 215 - - The Mocking Bird 223 - - The White-Faced Parrot 231 - - A Gray Parrot on His Perch 235 - - The Starling 242 - - Feeding Monkeys at the Zoölogical Garden 252 - - A Pair of Midget Donkeys 258 - - The Orang Outang in the Hands of His Keeper 265 - - An Afternoon Chat 276 - - The Fantail 287 - - Hindu Snake Charmers with the Deadly Cobras 294 - - The Mongoose 298 - - The Common Hedgehog with His Battery of Spines 303 - - The Three-banded Armadillo 305 - - A Friendly Gray Squirrel 307 - - A Hooded Peregrine Falcon 310 - - Leg and Foot of Falcon Showing Fastening 314 - - Grizzly Bear Cub 320 - - The Harp-seal Afloat on the Ice 324 - - The Savage Florida Alligator 326 - - The Stork in Its Feeding Grounds 329 - - The Cormorant, the Fishing Bird of China 331 - - The Albatross Swooping Over the Ocean Waves 333 - - An Opened Bee Hive Showing the Clustering Bees 336 - - - - - HOME LIFE IN ALL LANDS - - - - - I - - HOUSEHOLD PETS AND COMRADES - - -How few of us can go into the house without their coming to meet us: -the frisky dog, with its wagging tail; the sleek and soft-footed cat, -with its mellow purr. On her swinging perch sits mistress parrot, -greeting us with her noisy "Polly wants a cracker." In its gilded cage -flirts the golden-hued canary, singing loudly to bid us welcome. They -give life and joy to the most rustic home, these pets of the household, -our glad though humble friends and guests. - -If we go out of the house into the stable-yard or the pasture-field we -meet others of them: the noble horse, the patient and docile cow, the -woolly sheep, the sturdy goat. In the poultry-yard still others meet -us: the cackling hen, proud of her new-laid egg; the crowing rooster, -the quacking duck, the gracefully swimming goose or swan, the peacock -with its splendid tail, even the buzzing bee, flying home laden with -wax and honey. - -If all our human friends should desert us, the dog would cling to us -still. Carlo's faith and trust were true in all the ills of life. The -ragged beggar finds a loving friend in his dog. Roger the dog may be -as ragged and forlorn as tramping Joe, his master; he may be a shabby -mongrel of the worst breed, but a true heart beats under his rusty -hide, and he will love and follow his rambling master through thick and -thin. - -It is the same with our petted horse, which greets us with a glad neigh -and loves to kiss our hand or face with its soft muzzle. Almost any -animal that we make a pet of will repay us with its love and trust, -though least of all the cat, which has kept half wild through centuries -of taming. But of course we cannot say this of all cats; we must give -Tabby credit for some of the spirit of affection under her smooth fur, -though as a rule she loves places more than she does persons and is apt -to be the most independent member of the household. - -If we go abroad into the wilds and woods, what shall we find there? -Living creatures still, multitudes of them, but all ready to flee or -fly from man. They fear him and do not trust him. If strong and fierce -enough they will rush upon him instead of from him and try to kill this -two-legged creature who so often tries to kill them. - -But look closer and you will find that many of these wild animals are -near relatives of those that man has tamed. The fierce wolf and cunning -fox are cousins of the trusty dog; the terrible lion and tiger belong -to the same family as the cat we fondle in our laps; the zebra which -no man can tame is not far away in family tree from the faithful horse. -Very many more of these animals might have been tamed if man had cared -to do so. But he picked out those that pleased him most or that he -could make the best use of and left the others to their wild ways. - -Now you may see what we are here to talk about. It is our purpose to -set out on a home journey, one that starts from the kitchen or the -parlor of the house and goes no farther than the outer fence of the -farm--if we are lucky enough to have a farm. We are not making this -home trip to call on anybody like ourselves. We are setting out to -visit the cattle and sheep in their pasture-fields, the horses in their -stalls, the poultry in their yards, the pig in his pen, and have a -quiet talk about what we find there. And at the same time we must have -our say about the dog that follows us in our round, and seems to fancy -himself one of ourselves rather than one of those we are proposing to -call upon. He thinks himself "folks," does master doggy. Let us take -him at his own measure and deal with him first, of all. - - - THE DOG, MAN'S FAITHFUL FRIEND - -Where did the dog come from and how long has he made man his companion? -These are questions not easy to answer. Almost ever since there has -been a man there has been a dog to follow at his heels and aid him in -his sports. If we go back far before the beginning of history we find -the bones of man and dog in the same grave. And it is a strange thing -that thousands of years ago there were the same kinds of dogs we see -about us to-day. - - [Illustration: Bird Dogs "Pointing" Partridges] - -How do we know this, you ask? Why, four or five thousand years ago the -people of Egypt kept dogs, just as we do, and thought so much of them -as to draw pictures of them on the walls of their tombs. If you should -visit these tombs, cut deep into the rocks, you would see here the -picture of a greyhound, farther on a kind of terrier, still farther -one of a wolf-dog, all looking much like our own dogs. So in ancient -Assyria we find images of watch-dogs and hunting-dogs, much like our -mastiff and greyhound. Thus, go back as far as we please in the story -of human life, man's faithful friend keeps everywhere with him. - -Where did he come from? That is another part of our question. We all -know that the dog's forefathers must have been wild animals, hunters -and meat-eaters, which were tamed by man and made his comrades. There -are plenty of these wild animals still, wolves we call them, fierce -hunting creatures that run down smaller animals and kill them for food. -They do not bark like the dog, but they are like it in many ways. -Barking is a new form of speech learned by the civilized dog. It is the -dog's trade mark. - -Wise men who have made a study of the dog are sure he began as a wolf, -and some dogs have not yet got far away from the wolf. Have any of you -ever seen an Eskimo dog, the kind that drags the sleds of travellers -over the Arctic ice? If you have, you have looked upon a half-civilized -creature that is as much wolf as dog. It will work well--under the -whip; but its great delight is an all-round fight, and if hungry its -master is not safe from its sharp teeth. - -In fact, the dogs kept by savage and barbarian people look much like -the wolves of the country around them. Thus the dogs kept by the Indian -tribes of our land are so much like the wolves found in the same -regions that it is not easy to tell them apart. - -In southern Asia and parts of Africa is a wild animal called the -jackal. It is smaller than the wolf, but belongs to the same family -and seems to come half way between the wolf and the fox. It is fairly -certain that some of the dogs of India and other countries are tamed -jackals. The jackal is easy to tame, and a tamed jackal will wag its -tail and crouch before its master just like a dog. - - [Illustration: Fox Cubs at Mouth of Den. Observe Their Vigilant and - Alert Outlook] - -We begin now to see where man found the dog. He seems in very early -times to have tamed the wolves and jackals around him, fed them, won -their love by kindness, and taught them to do many new things. The -wolves hunt in packs just as dogs do, and they are very expert in -taking their prey. It is the same with the jackals. They hunt in packs -like the wolves and are very shrewd and cunning. These wild animals are -fierce, but so are many dogs, though in most cases the fierceness has -been tamed out of our house dogs. - - - THE MANY KINDS OF DOGS - -Any of us who go into a dog show might almost fancy ourselves in a -zoological garden, for we seem to be in the midst of a multitude -of different animals. It is hard to believe that the fluffy little -Lapdog, not much bigger than a well-grown rat, belongs to the same -family as the Great Dane, as tall as a pony and strong as a leopard. -The same is the case if we bring together the slender and graceful -Greyhound and the sturdy Mastiff; or compare the Collie with the -Terrier or the Spaniel; or the ugly Bulldog or funny Pug with the -long-headed Foxhound; or the hairy Poodle or Skye Terrier with the many -short-haired breeds. - -Nearly ten times as numerous as the letters of the alphabet, the dogs -bewilder us with their variety, and it is not easy to believe that they -all belong to the same family. Yet this is the case; they are all dogs, -big and little, stout and slender, hairy or hairless alike, all one in -their general make-up and their habits. It is very likely, indeed, -that they came from several species of wolves and jackals, yet there -are certain traits of doggishness that belong to them all. - -Shall we not fancy ourselves really in a dog show and walk around and -look at the variety of dogs to be seen! We cannot name them all, there -are too many of them, but we may take a quick glance at the prize dogs -in the show. It is common to divide them into groups, such as hunting -dogs, working dogs, watch dogs, sheep dogs, and toy dogs. - -Of hunting-dogs there are many kinds, including the various hounds, -such as the Bloodhound, Staghound, Foxhound, Greyhound, and others. -These either have fine powers of scent or are splendid runners, so that -few kinds of game can escape them. The Bloodhound has very acute scent -and has long been known as a hunter of men. In the past it was used to -hunt fugitives from justice and in our times has been often put on the -track of runaway slaves. - -The Foxhound has long been used in the sport of chasing the fox, large -packs of them being kept in England and this country for that purpose. -The Harrier, a smaller hound, is used in hunting the hare. Still -smaller is the Beagle, the smallest of the hounds, but with the finest -power of scent. It is a slow runner, but will keep it up for hours at a -time, and seldom fails to bring down its game. - -Other hunting-dogs are the Pointer and Setter, the friends of the -gunner. The Pointer is so called from its habit of standing fixed -when it scents game, while the Setter crouches down when the scent of -game is in the air. The Spaniel is another hunting dog, much liked by -sportsmen. It is a beautiful dog, with very long ears and wavy and -beautiful hair, red and white in color. It is fond of swimming and -knows well the art of fish-catching. - - [Illustration: Beagle Hound Chasing a Rat] - -Working dogs include such kinds as the Eskimo dogs, that drag the sleds -of the Eskimos and of polar explorers, and the dogs of Kamtchatka, -swift, powerful animals, used for the same purpose. You have very -likely read about the working dogs of Holland, which are used to pull -the milk-carts of their masters. Then there is the turnspit, much used -in past times to turn the spit when meat was roasting before the fire. -In our days there is no use for the turnspit, and not many dogs are -made to work for their living. On the whole the dog is something of an -aristocrat, ready for sport, keen on the watch, but not overly fond of -work. - -We cannot for a moment lose sight of the Sheep Dog, the Collie, as it -is called in Scotland, a shaggy, wide-awake fellow, who takes better -care of a flock of sheep than most men could do. He lives with the -sheep, gathers them from the hills and brings them to the sheepfold -when needed, and will let no prowler meddle with the woolly beasts -under his care. The stranger who comes near the flock must be careful -how he acts, if he does not wish to feel the collie's sharp teeth. That -alert sentinel knows his duty and will stand no nonsense. - -There are many varieties of the sheep dog. In Asia they have often -to fight for their flocks with wild beasts and robbers, and are very -strong and fierce. Some of them are shaggy, wolf-like brutes, nearly as -large as a Newfoundland dog and not afraid of the biggest wolf. Dogs -like these are also kept in some parts of Europe. Wise and sharp-witted -creatures are the sheep-dogs, knowing and doing their business well. At -a word or even a look from its master the collie will scour around the -hills and dales for miles, rounding up and bringing the scattered sheep -to one place. And in or after the heavy snow-storms of the Scotch -Highlands a dog is often worth a dozen men in saving its master's -flocks. - - [Illustration: Scottish Shepherd Dog Gathering His Flock] - -Then there is the Drover's Dog or Cur, belonging to the same family, -black and white in color, used in driving sheep and cattle to the city -markets and well trained in the art of doing this. The sheep dogs of -South America are fine animals. Large flocks are kept there and left -alone in the care of these four-footed keepers. Darwin, who often saw -them, says: "When riding it is a common thing to meet a large flock of -sheep, guarded by one or two dogs, at the distance of some miles from -any house or man. It is amusing to observe, when approaching a flock, -how the dog advances barking, and the sheep all close in his rear as if -round the oldest ram." - -Now let us take a look at the Watch Dogs, those that take charge of -their master's house, or follow him in his walks, ready to fight for -him whether he goes out or stays in, and to act as a sentinel or guard -of honor for him at all times. The Mastiff is one of the well-known -house guards, a great, strong, faithful sentinel, with heavy head and -powerful limbs, bold enough to fight a bear or even a lion. The British -mastiff is good-natured and will even let children play with him and -tease him, but when kept tied up he often grows surly and dangerous to -strangers. There is a mastiff kept in Tibet which is larger than the -British one and attacks strangers as fiercely as a wolf would do. - -Coming a step down we meet the Bulldog, smaller than the mastiff, and -looking sour and surly enough to scare any child. Its face is twisted -into an ugly scowl, and its jaws are like bars of iron. When it gets -its teeth into any animal nothing can make it let go. You may burn it -with hot irons and it will hold on still. We may pity any one, man or -beast, in whom this black bunch of obstinacy sets its teeth. It knows -well how to take hold, but not how to let go. - -Coming another step down we see before us the Pug, a queer little house -pet, which somehow is born with the bulldog's face but is as timid and -good-natured as the other is fierce and surly. He is a funny little -brute, ugly enough to turn milk sour. Yet with all his ugliness he -finds loving friends. - - [Illustration: The St. Bernard Dog and His Friends] - -Among the large watch dogs are the sturdy Newfoundland, which is well -known to us all, the splendid, erect fellow called the Great Dane, and -the noble St. Bernard, kept by the monks of the Alps to seek for and -save travellers who have been lost on the mountain paths or in the deep -snows. When a sudden snow-storm comes on two of these powerful dogs -are sent out together, one with a flask of strong drink hanging from -its neck, the other with a cloak for the freezing wayfarer to put on. -If the traveller has lost his way they guide him to the convent. If he -has fallen and been covered by the snow, they trace him by their keen -power of scent, dig the snow away, and bring the monks by their loud -barking, which can be heard for a long distance in the clear mountain -air. - -Many of you must have seen the Dalmatian coach-dog. A handsome animal -it is, white in color, but well marked with round black spots. It is -not fit for hunting, for its scent is not good, but it is a welcome -companion when one is out on foot, on horseback, or in his coach or -carriage. Lively, clean and kindly, very active and fond of running, it -makes an excellent comrade for the walker or rider. - -We cannot give the names of all the dogs. There are too many of them. -But it will not do to pass by the smaller ones, those used for sport or -for house service. Chief among the small sporting breeds are the active -Terriers, all of them brave, alert and quick in motion. These are used -in hunting such small prey as the otter, the badger, the weasel and the -rat. To see one of them at work in a room full of rats is to look upon -a living flash of lightning. A single Rat Terrier has been known to -kill a hundred rats, collected in one room, in seven minutes, one quick -bite putting each rat out of business. - -There are several kinds of Terriers. One of them is the Dandie Dinmont, -spoken of by Sir Walter Scott in his novels, a beautiful little dog -belonging to Scotland. Then there is the favorite Skye Terrier, of the -same country, with its very long body and short legs, half buried in -its own hair. Between the Fox Terrier and the Bulldog, comes the Bull -Terrier, having in it something of both its parents and able to fight -as savagely as the Bulldog itself. - -These are the big and the medium sized dogs, but there are many smaller -ones, used as pets and some so small as to be only a size larger than -the full-grown rat. These are the toy animals, pocket editions of their -breeds, many of them only fit for ladies' pets, to be fed and fondled -and taken out in coach or carriage for an airing. They include the -Poodles, Terriers and Spaniels, the larger ones good for the hunting -field, the smaller fit only for the parlor. - -Of the Pug, with its ugly mug, we have already spoken, and may pass -on to the spaniels, often charming little playmates. There are field -spaniels and toy spaniels, the field dogs being good hunters and the -water-spaniels fine swimmers. The toy spaniels are very different -from the hunters and only fit to be fed and fondled. They include the -pretty King Charles, glossy black in color, the Prince Charles, white -with black-and-tan markings, the red and white Blenheim and the red -Ruby Spaniel. There are other breeds, a popular one being the Japanese -Spaniel. The toy spaniel should not weigh more than ten pounds and -have a short, turned-up face like a pug. With their long coats and -small size they are fit only for pets, but are very bright and cheery -little creatures. - - [Illustration: - - Courtesy of Mrs. A. R. Bauman - - A Funny Quartette of Pekingese Puppies] - -The Poodles may also be divided into the hunting and the pet dogs. -They are fleecy fellows, often with so thick a coat of hair that it is -not easy to tell where poodle begins and coat ends. The most handsome -of them is the large black Russian Poodle, well fitted for use in the -hunting field. The small white poodle is only fit for a house pet, but -it is a very clever one and can easily be taught tricks of various -kinds. - -It has long been the fashion to trim the poodle's coat in an odd -fashion, shaving it all off from the body and hind-quarters except -a few scattered tufts, but leaving it very long and thick on the -shoulders. Very likely the poodle himself does not like to be made -such a show of, especially if there is any bite in the air. Those who -have any feeling for their dogs let the hair grow in the winter and -trim it only in the warm season. - -As there are toy spaniels, so there are toy terriers, among them the -pretty little Black and Tan and the lovely little Maltese, with a white -coat as soft as floss silk and long enough to touch the ground. These -toy terriers are scarcely a handful in size, some of them weighing -not more than three pounds. Then there is the graceful and beautiful -Italian Greyhound; of about eight pounds weight, with soft and glossy -coat, fawn and cream colored, and in every way an elegant little -creature. - - - ANECDOTES OF DOG WIT AND WISDOM - -What could we do without the dog? There are many other animals made -use of by man, but the dog, his faithful friend and companion, stands -first of all. It not only aids him in his sports, but clings to him in -all the affairs of life, and has been known to lie down and die on its -master's grave, not willing to leave him even after death. - -Not only faithful and loving is the dog, not only fond of play and -sport, but it has a very good brain of its own and is one of the -smartest of all the animals. If it could only talk we would find that a -great deal goes on inside its little thinking organ. How wisely it will -at times look up in our faces, as if to say, "If I could only speak I -could tell you many things worth listening to." - -But can dogs think? some of you ask. I am sure that most of you who -keep dogs could answer this question for yourselves. Certainly dogs -very often do things that look much like thinking. There are hundreds -of anecdotes telling us of wise things done by dogs and I propose to -tell you some of these. I think you will find that they answer your -question. I am sure that most of you could tell me of some clever dog -doings. Here are some that seem worth telling. - -A farmer friend of mine long ago told me of some curious things done -by a dog of his. He had a bell hung on a post in his yard, with a rope -coming down from it. He would ring it in the early morning to rouse up -the farm hands for their day's work. One morning he was surprised to -hear the bell ring very early, but no one could tell him who had rung -it. - -The next morning it rang again. He sprang from bed and looked out the -window to find that his dog was the culprit. It had the rope in its -teeth and was pulling away like an able bell-ringer. The little chap -was lonely and wanted company; he had often seen the men troop out on -the ringing of the bell; so he put two and two together and rang the -bell himself. The farmer had to hang up the rope out of reach to put an -end to this doggish trick. - -The same dog had a great fancy for riding in a carriage of his own, and -when one of the men drove up to the door with his cart, and left the -horse standing while he went into the house for orders, doggy would -bark and bite at the horse's shins until he set him in motion, and then -would jump into the cart for a free ride. He was "only a dog," but he -knew how to get what he wanted, and he looked proud enough as he stood -with his feet on the front of the cart, as if he owned all the world he -could see. - -Another friend tells me that, when a country boy, he had to go a mile -or two every morning to the post office for letters and papers, his -dog keeping him company. On one morning there was nothing for him -and he started back empty handed. But the dog refused to follow. It -seated itself on the post-office steps and would not budge. He tried in -various ways to make it come, but in spite of all he could do back it -would go to those steps and seat itself as before. - -The boy was at his wits' end. At last the thought came to him of what -ailed the obstinate brute. He took a piece of paper from his pocket -and held it up and at once the dog came running up, frisking about him -gladly. If it could have spoken it would have said something like this: -"You and I were sent to bring the papers. If you choose to go home -without them I do not. I know my duty better than that." - - [Illustration: Hounds Overtaking a Fox] - -The story has often been told that dogs which have been in the habit -of eagerly following their masters on their week-day walks, will not -stir on Sundays. They seem to know from past experience that they are -not welcome on that day. Do these creatures count the days of the week -and know in that way when Sunday comes? Or is there something in the -dress of the family, the sound of church-bells in the air, or other -indications to tell them that this is a day set aside from doggish -sports and duties? - -All I can say in the matter is that a village friend of mine, whose -church was too far away for the bells to be heard, had a dog of this -kind, that ran friskily up to go out with him every morning but Sunday, -when it would not stir from its rug. To test the animal he on several -occasions came downstairs in his week-day clothes and went about in his -week-day manner. But the wise creature was not to be fooled. It looked -at him lazily and lay still, its looks seeming to say, "I can count as -well as you and I know this is Sunday. You can't fool me with your old -clothes." - -You may see that I am not going abroad for my stories. These are not -anecdotes taken from books, but little matters told me by friends. The -book stories, no doubt, are better, but these are fresher. Here are one -or two that I have heard of a different kind, tales which go to show -the faithfulness of the watch-dog. - -One of these is of a gentleman who went out one day, leaving his dog -locked in the house. On his return in the evening he found that he -had forgotten his key and could not get into the house by the front -door. He tried the other doors and windows and at last found an open -window into which he tried to climb. But so savage a bark came from the -care-keeper inside that he backed out again in a hurry. - -"Don't you know me, Carlo?" he said, in a coaxing tone. - -Carlo knew him well enough and came with wagging tail to the window -to be caressed by its master's hand. But the instant he tried again -to climb in the animal's attitude changed and it became the fierce -watch-dog again. - -Try as he would, Carlo simply would not let him come into the house in -that way. It was the burglar's route, and even if this man were his -master he had no right to take it. In the end the baffled gentleman -had to give up the attempt and leave Carlo lord of the premises. The -faithful watch-dog knew not master or man when it came to a question of -duty. - -Now let me speak of a dog that had a different sense of duty. It -belonged to a cousin of mine and when left in charge of the house in -the absence of its mistress was quite willing to let visitors enter and -seemed very glad to see them. The trouble began when they tried to go -out. This the dog would not permit. It was ready to attack them with -teeth and claws if they tried it. "Here you are and here you stay till -my mistress comes home," its attitude seemed to say. "Your coming may -be all right, but that is for the lady of the house to decide, and you -shall not go a step until she returns." - -Dogs cannot talk, that we all know very well. It is true that there -is at present a dog in Germany which has been taught to speak a -number of words, in a way that makes it easy to understand them. But -no one fancies that even this dog will ever become a good and ready -talker. Yet it is well known that dogs can understand human speech and -sometimes very well. - - [Illustration: The Dog Guardian. "Can You Talk?"] - -Thus a friend of mine comes home at night, after a day's hard work, -flings himself lazily on the sofa, and says to a visitor: "If Jim there -knew enough I would ask him to go upstairs for my slippers." - -Jim, the dog, who has been lying in easy content on his favorite spot, -at once gets up, stretches himself, and trots off up stairs, coming -back in a few minutes with a slipper in his mouth. Off he trots again -and comes back with the other, then lies down once more with an air -of satisfaction. This is an actual incident. Very likely the word -"slippers," joined with his own name, was the key-note to the dog's -action. The two words were enough to tell him what was wanted. - -Dozens of incidents of this kind might be given. Here is a good one -that has so often been told that many of you may have read it. A -sheep-dog in a Highland cottage was lying one day before the fire while -his master, a shepherd, was talking with a neighbor. He wished to show -his friend how quick-witted a dog he had, and while talking about a -different matter, said in a quiet tone, "I'm thinking, sir, the cow's -got into the potatoes." - -The dog, which had seemed asleep, at once jumped up, leaped through the -open window and scrambled to the cottage roof. Here it could see the -potato field. As no cow was there, the dog ran to the farm-yard, where -it found the animal it sought. It then came back to the house, and -quietly lay down again. - -Some time later the shepherd said the same words and the dog sprang up -and went out again. But when the words were repeated a third time the -wise creature came up to its master with wagging tail, and looked into -his face with so comical an expression that the talkers broke out into -a loud laugh. Then with a slight growl, the dog laid down again on the -hearth rug with an offended air, as if saying to itself, "You shall not -make a fool of me again." - - [Illustration: A Dog Team Hauling Milk in Antwerp] - -This is one of the stock stories of dog wit. Many others like it might -be told. There is no doubt that dogs have ways of making their dog -friends know things they would like to have done. Many stories could -be given to prove this, but most of them are too long to be told here. -Thus we are told of dogs that have got the worst of it in a fight -seeking a stronger friend, telling their story in their own way, and -the two going out together to whip the whipper. - -Dogs have their feelings, too, and can easily be insulted. "Low life" -dogs are so used to being cuffed and kicked that a kick does not hurt -their feelings, though it may their flesh. But "high life" dogs are apt -to be very delicate in their feelings, and the mere touch of a whip -hurts their pride deeply. Here is a story of a Skye terrier that went -out every day for a walk in the park with its master's brother. One day -when it hung back to amuse itself with another dog the gentleman, to -induce it to follow, struck it with his glove. - -The terrier looked up with an air of anger and dignity, turned round -and trotted off home. The next day it went out again, but after a short -walk it looked up into the man's face, turned on its heels, and trotted -back once more with an air of great dignity. Having thus made its -protest, it would never go out with him again. - -Here is another case, having to do this time with unjust treatment -instead of offended pride. Arago, the famous French scientist, was once -detained by a storm at a country inn, and stood warming himself by the -kitchen fire while the innkeeper roasted a fowl for his dinner. - -Having put the fowl on the spit over the fire, the innkeeper tried to -catch a turnspit dog lying in the kitchen and put him in the wheel by -which the spit was turned. But the dog would not enter the spit, got -under a table, and showed fight. When Arago asked what made it act that -way, the host said that the dog was right, it was not its turn but -that of its companion, then out of the room. The other turnspit was -sent for, entered the wheel at once and turned away willingly. When -the fowl was half done Arago took this dog out and the other dog now -readily took his turn. He had fought for right and justice and had won. - -We must stop here. The stories told about the intelligence of dogs are -so many and of such different kinds that they would more than fill -this book if all were told. We have picked out a few of some kinds. -There are other kinds. Thus dogs do not like to be laughed at. They -have also some sense of humor and will try to play tricks on their -masters. They have a sense of shame and will slink away when caught at -some act of which they should be ashamed. And there are thieves among -them that will steal in a very skilful manner. Thus sheep-killing dogs -are very cunning at hiding the evidence of their nightly raids in the -sheep-field. - -I cannot leave the dog without quoting Senator Vest's fine words of -praise of this noble animal. They may be viewed as a classic tribute to -the dog. They were spoken in a law-suit in which the Senator was acting -for a party whose dog had been killed. It was "only a dog," said the -other lawyer. Here is what Senator Vest said to the jury: - -"Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in the world may -turn against him. His son and daughter whom he has reared with loving -care may become ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, -those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become -traitors to their trust. The money that a man has he may lose. It -flies away from him when he may need it most. A man's reputation may -be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are -prone to fall on their knees and do us honor when success is with us -may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its -cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend a man may -have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one -that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is the dog." - - [Illustration: Deerhound, Rossie Ralph] - -"A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and -sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground when winter winds blow and -snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He -will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds -and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He -guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When -all other friends desert, he remains; when riches take wings and -reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun -in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth -an outcast into the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog -asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against -danger, to fight against his enemies. And, when the last scene of all -comes and death takes his master in its embrace, and his body is laid -away in the cold ground; no matter if all other friends pursue their -way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head -between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful -and true even unto death." - -The claim for the loss of the dog had been $200, but when the jury -heard this just and masterly tribute to the dog they gave a verdict of -$500. Well they knew that every word of it was true. - - - THE CAT, OUR FIRESIDE INMATE - -When the sun has left the sky and night flings its dusky cloak over -all things out-of-doors, then within the house we draw the curtain, -light the lamp, and gather round the study table with books or games. -And soon from her fireside nook steals up soft-footed puss, seeking a -friendly lap in which she may nestle and purr the hours away. - - [Illustration: - - From Trueblood's Cats by the Way - - The Mother Cat and Her Playful Brood] - -This bundle of fur we call by the short name of cat was born in other -climes and trained in other ways than the dog, and is as sly and sleek -as the dog is rough and boisterous. It knows how to make itself at -home and dearly loves a soft spot, but it has never quite got rid of -its wild-life ways and is often as hard to make a friend of as the dog -is easy. Rarely does it follow at man's heels in the dog's faithful -fashion. - -When did man first take the cat into his house and make it one of -his pets? That is hard to say. If we go back to the early days of -civilization we find the cat an inmate of man's house as well as the -dog, and quite as much at home. It was kept in Egypt several thousand -years ago and thought so much of in those far-off days as to leave the -dog almost out of sight. - -The people of that old land loved and worshiped the cat, made it into -a mummy when it died, and any one who killed a cat was punished as if -he had committed a great crime. That was the golden age of the cat, for -one of the goddesses was said to have a cat's head, and the cat had a -sacred city of its own, the city of Bubastis, where a festival in its -honor was held every year and attended by more than half a million of -people. - -The people of Greece and Rome also thought much of the cat--perhaps -because it helped them to get rid of the rat, which was as great a -pest then as it is now. In later Europe also the cat was a favorite, -and it was the custom at Aix, in Provence, to get the finest male cat -that could be found, dress it like a baby, and seat it in a splendid -arm-chair for the people to bow down to and worship. - -The time came at length when the cat lost its good name and people -began to look upon it as an imp of evil and the companion of the witch -and the sorcerer. A black cat was the worst of all and its life was -a hard one. In those evil days for the cat it became the fashion to -fling cats from the tops of high towers, and at Metz, at the festival -of St. John, cats were thrown by the dozen into a blazing fire and -burned alive. - -But better days have now come to pretty puss, and she is cared for as -much as the dog, making the house her nest while the dog lives largely -out-of-doors. It is chiefly at the late hours of the night that the -cat goes abroad. I need not tell any of you what follows. You have -all heard the music of a cat concert and felt as if you would like to -treat those midnight howlers as the witch-cats were treated of old. -Caterwauling we call it, and of all the noises of the night it is far -the worst. - -Where did the cat come from? That no one can tell exactly. There are -wild cats in many parts of the world, we find them in Asia, in Europe, -in Africa, in America, but none of them just like our household cat. -The fact is that cats differ in different parts of the world and they -may have come from several species. The Gloved Cat of Nubia comes -nearest to the house cat in size and the shape of the head and tail, -but in other ways is unlike it. So, on the whole, we are still in the -dark about the origin of the cat. - -One thing we do know, and this is that the cat has kept more of its -wild ways than the dog. In its nightly rambles it is like the wild-cat -of the woods. And even in the house it is a little too ready to show -its claws. It will scratch where a dog would not think of biting. It -is said that the cat loves places much more than it does people, and -in moving from one house to another it is hard to get the cat away. It -loves its old haunts more than its old friends. - -The cat walks on its toes like the lion and tiger and all its other -wild relations. But its claws do not touch the ground. They are drawn -up into a sort of sheath and kept sharp for use as a soldier keeps his -sword sharp in its scabbard. The paws being covered with fur, its step -is silent and its movements are quiet and cautious, as many a mouse has -found out. - - [Illustration: The Canada Lynx, the House Cat's "Cousin"] - -We might not care so much for the cat if it were not of use to us in -killing those pests of the house, the rat and the mouse. No matter how -well fed she is, pussy dearly loves her mouse, and if on the track of -one she is not to be turned aside. She will crouch for an hour at -a time watching a mouse-hole, never moving a hair until the victim -appears; then a single bound and all is over for the little creature. -Even if the cat is asleep, no mouse can pass it with safety. Its ears -and nose do not seem to sleep. - -Once caught, the mouse is played with in a manner that seems cruel to -us. The cat makes a game of letting its prey run away, but takes good -care it does not reach its hole. This, no doubt, is one of its wild -traits, handed down from its ancestors and never tamed out of it. We -are told by one observer that a cat will catch and eat twenty mice in -a day--this, of course, where mice are plentiful. But when a cat gets -a taste for poultry or rabbits it is spoiled as a mouser. And though -it is said that cats do not like to get wet, their fondness for fish -is greater than their dread of water and they have been known to go -fishing in a stream. - -It is not easy to make a treaty of peace between the cat and the dog. -Do they hate each other or are they jealous of their position in the -house? The cat is not a match for the dog and makes haste to get away -from the chasing cur, yet when driven into a corner it will put up a -good fight for its life, and many a dog has been sent yelping away from -its sharp claws. But this state of warfare does not always exist and it -is not uncommon for cats and dogs to live together on friendly terms. - - [Illustration: - - Lippincott's Primer - - Ready for Business] - -If we go around the world we shall find cats everywhere and of many -kinds. There are not nearly so many varieties of them as there are -of dogs and they do not vary much in size like dogs, yet some breeds -of cats differ greatly from others. Thus the cats from the Isle of -Man--Manx cats they are called--have no tails, while their hind legs -are very long and strong and they are covered with a thick coat of fur -instead of hair. Let us compare this with the showy Angora cat, with -its tail like a great white plume and its long white hair. And they -differ as much in character, for the Manx is a hardy animal and the -Angora is a delicate parlor cat, its health needing to be carefully -looked after. - -Then there are the Malay cat, with a tail only half the full length; -the royal Siamese cat, fawn colored, with blue eyes and small head; the -Carthusian, with long, dark, grayish-blue fur; the South African, with -red stripes along its back; the Cyprus, striped and very tall, and the -handsome Persian cat with its long silky hair. - -As races are apt to be mixed, cat fanciers make color their chief point -of value. The principal colors are white, black, blue, blue-gray, -smoke-color, orange, and tortoise-shell. A true tortoise-shell tom-cat -brings a big price. The color of the eyes is very important. Blue -eyes are a sign of deafness. Some white cats have red eyes. As for -the hair, cats are divided into two classes, the long-haired and the -short-haired, the Persian and Angora being notable for the length of -their hair. Most common among our cats is the soot-colored or gray, -known as the "tabby," which has black stripes going round its legs, -neck, and tail, and also down its sides. These show a return to the -wild-cat in color, though tabby is as tame as her rivals. - -The cat is not lacking in brain power nor in affection, for in many -cases it shows warm love for its mistress. There are various anecdotes -of cat logic, of which a few may be told. When crumbs have been thrown -out to feed the birds a cat will often hide in the shrubbery, waiting -for a chance to spring on them as they feed. One writer speaks of a -case where the cat went farther in its logic. The crumbs thrown out had -been covered by a light fall of snow, and the cat was seen scratching -the snow away. Then she took up the crumbs, laid them on the snow, and -hid behind the bushes to wait for the hungry birds. - -A cat trick which shows good reasoning power has often been seen, that -of opening latched doors, a thing which dogs very rarely do. Thus a cat -will spring from the ground, catch the latch handle with one paw and -with the other pull down the thumb-piece, at the same time scratching -with its hind paws at the door post to open the door. The cat that does -this must have seen men pull down the latch for the same purpose and -reasoned out that it could do the same. - -Also there are cases of cats learning to sound knockers and ring bells, -with no one to teach them. Thus a Mr. Belshaw writes: "I was sitting in -one of the rooms on my first evening there, and hearing a loud knock -at the front door was told not to heed it, as it was only the kitten -asking for entrance. Not believing this, I watched for myself, and -very soon saw the kitten jump up to the door, hang on by one leg, and -put the other forepaw right through the knocker and rap twice." Here -the cat is not trying to open the door herself, but to bring some one -to open it for her. - -Dogs have been known to do the same thing, but not so often as cats, -and there is a story of a dog which had seen the cat do this, and after -that sought the cat when he wanted to get in, without trying to do the -trick himself. One story is told of a cat's ringing a bell by pulling -at an exposed wire. - -Though the cat's display of thought is not as varied as the dog's, it -is very good so far as it goes. Here is a story of a different kind. An -oil lamp was being trimmed and some of the oil fell on the cat's back. -Afterwards a cinder from the fire fell on it and set it in a blaze. The -animal at once sprang for the open door and ran up the street with her -back blazing for about a hundred yards. Here was the village watering -trough, into which she plunged and put out the fire. The trough had -eight or nine inches of water, and puss was in the habit of seeing the -fire put out with water every night. In this case it is plain that the -animal, as soon as the fire scorched her back, knew very well how to -deal with the danger. - -After all this, who will say that a cat does not think? Here is another -story, told of her cat by a London lady: - -"I once had a cat which always sat up to the dinner-table with me, -and had his napkin round his neck and his plate and some fish. He -used his paw, of course; but he was very particular and behaved with -extraordinary decorum. When he had finished his fish I sometimes -gave him a piece of mine. One day he was not to be found when the -dinner-bell rang, so we began without him. Just as the plates were -being put round for the entrée puss came rushing upstairs with two mice -in his mouth. Before he could be stopped he dropped a mouse on to his -own plate and then one on to mine. He divided his dinner with me as I -divided mine with him." - - [Illustration: The Hungry Babes and Playful Kitten] - -Such is the cat, a sedate, warmth-loving creature, dearly loving to be -petted, yet far less dependent on man or woman than the dog. If left -to itself in the woods, the cat knows well how to take care of itself -where a dog would often be helpless. As for love of play, we do not -find much of it in the cat but we find plenty in the kitten, which is -a regular little rogue, lively, playful, frisky, brimful of fun and a -cute little creature in all its ways. - - - OTHER FOUR-FOOTED PETS - -Looking around us for our household pets after the dog and the cat, we -find that Bunny, the rabbit, comes next. Bunny is a darling pet of the -little ones, who dearly love to fondle this pretty bundle of fur. They -are sometimes too kind and the poor little thing suffers from their -fondness. That is the sad way with children's pets, they are at times -loved to death. - -But the rabbit is kept for something else than a child's plaything. It -is often raised for food, much like the hen and the duck, and its furry -skin brings a good price. Thus the Angora rabbit, the most beautiful of -them all, has splendid snow-white fur four inches and more in length, -which is made into many things useful to wear. Stockings, gloves, -shawls, and even stuffs for clothing are made of it. Under-garments -made of the Angora fur are said to be very good for gouty persons. - -The pretty little Angora is so often kept as a pet by the ladies of -France and some other countries that it is called "the ladies' rabbit." -It is not always full white, for the Russian Angoras have jet-black -noses, ears, legs and tails, which make them look very comical. - -You would be surprised if you could see all the kinds of rabbits -brought together, for there are many more of them than you would think. -A splendid one is the little Silver rabbit, whose skin is used by the -fur-makers and brings a big price. Some of them are silver-brown and -others silver-yellow in color, but these are not common. - -The Dutch rabbit is the smallest of all the bunnies, and when the -colors are good it is very pretty. It may be black, yellow, steel-blue, -and of other colors, these hues being oddly combined. Other rabbits of -small size are the Polish and the French papillon (or butterfly). The -one called the Polish is really an English rabbit, and little folks are -very fond of it, with its red eyes twinkling out of its snow-white fur. -This fur is of high value. The papillon is white, with black, yellow, -gray, or blue spots, and is quite pretty. - -Then there is the Japan rabbit, also called the tricolor or -tortoise-shell. It has black, yellow and whitish markings and rings -round its body, while its head is often half yellow and half black. - -You can see from what has been said that color has much to do with the -difference in rabbits. The ears form another point. They are generally -long and stand straight up, giving the rabbit a wide-awake look, but -there is a lop-eared rabbit with ears so long and heavy that they hang -down on each side and nearly touch the ground. - -The king of all the rabbits in size is the Giant rabbit of Flanders. -Two others known as giants are the Blue Giant of Vienna and the Blue -Giant of Beveren (Flanders). The flesh of these Blue Giants is very -good and their fur brings a high price. That of the Blue Giant of -Beveren is very thick and close and is of great value. This animal -weighs from seven to ten pounds. - -We are familiar in this country with the Belgian hare. It is not a hare -at all, though it looks like one, but is really a rabbit, and is a fine -strong species, weighing six or seven pounds and excellent for the -table. It is a little wild, but soon grows gentle with those who care -for it. It used to be sent in great numbers to the United States. - -You may see from what has been said that there are many varieties of -the rabbit. Of those used for food much the best is the Norman rabbit, -which weighs nine or ten pounds and is sold in the markets in Paris and -other cities of France. The black-and-tan is one of the most beautiful -of the rabbits, from its splendid color, but it is very shy and hard -to tame. The last we need speak of is the Havana rabbit, of brown or -chocolate color, now much raised in Holland. - -When the rabbit is taken good care of it is very healthy and those who -raise it for the market for its fur find it of much value, since it -increases in numbers very rapidly. Many of the young die, it is true, -but enough live to keep up a large family. - - [Illustration: Rabbits near Their Burrow. The Young at Play, the - Mother Alert for Danger] - -A good rabbit home may be made of a number of boxes of about the same -size, raised four or five inches above the ground and facing the sun if -they are kept in the open air. Casks or barrels may also be used, with -a door at one end of the barrel, covered with netting to keep out rats -and mice. - -It is amusing to see the care with which the mother rabbit makes her -nest when she is about to have young. Some soft straw and hay is put in -the box or cask and this she carries into one corner of her home, makes -a hollow in it, and lines this with fur pulled from her breast, to make -a warm, soft nest for the little brood. When the young are born she -must be given something juicy, such as a turnip or carrot, or perhaps -a little warm milk or water, for if left thirsty she grows feverish -and is apt to eat the little ones, not knowing what she is doing. She -cannot bear thirst and it makes her do strange things. There may be new -broods of young five or six times a year, and if only three or four of -each brood live there will be a good many by the year's end. - -There are many other animals which are at times kept as pets by man, -though the dog, cat, and rabbit are the most common. The Ferret is -often kept, though not as a pet. It is a half wild little brute, hard -to tame and used for hunting, for some kinds of which it is very -useful. It is a sort of white weasel, long and slender, so that it can -make its way through rat holes or rabbit burrows. A brave little thing, -it is not afraid to attack the largest rat, and is good at clearing a -house of rats and mice. It is also used to drive rabbits from their -burrows. Nets are set to catch the prey or they are shot as they rush -out. But a muzzle is put on the ferret, for if it can kill the rabbit -and drink its blood it may stay for days in the hole. At other times a -long string is tied to it, so that it can be pulled out. The ferret is -sometimes used to chase and catch fowls. Once caught, a single sharp -bite on the neck puts an end to the life of the fowl. - - [Illustration: The Otter, One of Nature's Fishers] - -The ferret is a blood-sucker, and this makes it dangerous when it has -once tasted blood. It has been known to attack a child in its cradle -when the mother was away, and will bite its master if not given enough -food or ill-treated in any way. It is an ugly tempered little brute, -usually unfit for petting. But Mr. Romanes tells of one kept by him -that was fond of being petted and would follow him like a dog when he -walked out. It was also taught tricks, such as begging for food and -leaping over sticks, and those it never seemed to forget. - -The Guinea-pig, which is often kept as a home animal, has none of the -fierce ways of the ferret. In spite of its name, it has nothing to -do with the real pig, but is one of the gnawing animals, a timid and -stupid creature, that first came from South America. Large numbers of -them are found on the banks of the La Plata River, being there known as -the Cavy. They burrow in the ground and feed on fruits and herbs. - - [Illustration: A Guinea-Pig. Pig Only by Name, not by Nature] - -What people like in the Guinea-pig is its pretty coloring. The wild -form is of a grayish-brown color, but as kept on the farm its color is -white, with patches of red and black. It is of no use to man except as -a pet, for it is not fit for food and is too stupid for anything else. -It has been said to drive off rats and mice, but this is a false notion. - -What can we say of the Hedgehog as a pet? Not much, though it is often -kept. It is no more a hog than the Cavy is a pig, but is not one of -the gnawing animals, for it lives chiefly on mice, game, birds, frogs, -insects and worms. This makes it very useful in a garden or in a house -in which roaches are a pest. The odd thing about the hedgehog is its -armor of sharp spines. When attacked by a dog or other animal it at -once rolls itself up into a ball with the spines pointing out in all -directions like those of the porcupine. Thus the little creature is -quite able to take care of itself. The dog may roll it about with his -foot but is afraid to bite into its spines. - -The Weasel has also been tamed and been found a lovable little animal. -The Otter is another tamable creature and can be taught to catch fish -and bring them to its master. Dr. Goldsmith tells us of one that would -go to the fish pond when told to do so, drive the fish into a corner, -seize the largest and carry it in its mouth to its master. - -There are many other animals that have at times been kept as pets, -among them such a queer one as the Kangaroo, with its very long hind -legs and very short fore-legs and its habit of jumping instead of -walking. A pet kangaroo of which we are told was a very man-like -or monkey-like creature in its way of eating, using its fore-paws -like hands to take food from its dish. What it most enjoyed was a -rabbit-bone, which it would take in its right paw and pick clean, -eating it with great relish. - -It was very fond of tea, but liked to have it well sweetened. If the -milk was left out it would lash its tail, draw up its tall figure -angrily and bound away with a long leap. Kanny had a very sweet tooth -and liked sugared almonds best of all titbits. - -Other odd pets we have heard of were a couple of Prairie dogs, brought -from Texas to Scotland and kept in a village garden. They proved very -friendly but needed to be locked up in a strong box at night, for -they would gnaw into shreds the mats and rugs and everything open to -their sharp teeth. But they were loving little things and had a way of -showing affection by a gentle pressure of their teeth on the hands of -their friends. If a stranger touched them in a timid way he was apt to -get a pinch but if a firm hold was taken they seemed to like it. - -These are only a few of the animals that have been kept as pets. -Cardinal Wolsey made a friend of an old carp, Cowper, the poet, loved -to play with his hares, and Lord Clive, the soldier, kept a pet -tortoise. Others of less note have made pets of snakes, frogs, lizards, -and various other animals. We have not tried to name them all and have -said nothing about so common a pet as the monkey, for we must keep this -funny fellow for a chapter of his own. - - - - - [Illustration] - - II - - OUR SINGLE-HOOFED HELPERS - - -Is there anywhere, has there ever been, a finer or more useful animal -than the horse, the swift racer of the plains, the noble lord of the -desert, the mainstay of the city and farm? To us the horse is as -familiar a friend as the dog. We see this fine animal everywhere that -man lives, now valued for his speed, when he flies away over the racing -field "with the wings of the wind;" now admired for his beauty and -stately form, when he draws the coaches of kings and nobles; now for -his great size, as the huge draught animal; now for his small size, as -the dainty little pony. It is sad to say also that we often see him as -the old, worn-out drudge of the streets, hard-worked, half-fed, and -slowly dying in harness. - -Go back as far as we can in history it is the same story still. The -horse is man's friend and helper, carrying him in the battle-field, -working for him on the farm, bearing him in his travels. But if we go -back beyond history we come to a time when the horse was free and wild. -It was not yet tamed by man, but was hunted and killed for food. In -the caves that were the homes of early man great numbers of horses' -bones are found, left from the feasts of old-time savage men. - - [Illustration: Friends and Comrades] - -The wild horse has not gone from the earth. Troops of them still live -on the vast plains of northern Asia, and they are found also in the -forests of the south of Russia, small, wiry animals, full of life and -spirit. These are called Tarpans. Centuries ago wild horses were to be -found in Spain and parts of Germany, but these have all been caught and -made to work for their living. America has its wild horses also, plenty -of them in South America, but they are not natives of the soil. Some of -the horses brought over from Spain by the early settlers escaped from -their masters and became free and wild in the great grassy plains. -These are known as "mustangs" or "cimmarones," and no use is made of -them except by the Indians, who kill and eat some of them and tame -others. - - - THE HORSE IN ALL LANDS - -No matter where we find horses they are very much the same. They are -not like dogs, of which there are so many kinds. Of course there is -much difference in the size of horses and also in their colors, but -little difference in other ways. If we travel together over the earth -and see the horses of the various countries we shall find them very -much alike. Yet such a journey is well worth taking, for it will show -us many things we ought to know. - -The horse family, as very likely you know, differs from all other -animals in having only one toe. It comes from animals that had a number -of toes, but these have all gone but one, and the nail of this toe has -grown into a thick, horny hoof which keeps the foot from being hurt as -the horse gallops over its native plains. Its home is on broad, grassy -levels, soft to the tread. But when used by man it has to travel much -on hard and stony roads which would soon wear out its hoof. So to save -this it has to be shod with iron. The hoof is so thick that the iron -shoe can be nailed to it without touching the flesh. - -There are a number of animals much like the horse, but unlike it in -several ways. These animals we shall speak of further on. One of the -special points by which one knows the horse is the long hairs which -cover the whole length of its tail. Another is its splendid, flowing -mane. It has also longer legs and smaller head and ears than the other -members of its family. Altogether a fine horse is one of the handsomest -of all animals. And among them all it is one of the most useful to man. - - [Illustration: Rosa Bonheur's Famous Picture of the Horse Fair] - -Now let us start on the journey abroad we laid out and see some of the -world's horses. If we go first to the grand plains of northern Asia, -the broad, level country called the steppes, the people of which are -always travelling about with their flocks and herds, we shall find -ourselves in the native land of the horse. In far-off times this was -the great region of the wild horse and here very likely it was first -made a slave of man. - -All the time on the move, as these shepherd people were, driving their -cattle and sheep from pasture to pasture, the horse was fitted for -their use by its strength and speed, and very long ago it must have -been caught and made to bear the saddle and bridle and carry man on its -back. No one can say how long ago this was, but these people are now -the great horsemen of the earth. They live with their horses, sleep -with them, and love them even more than they do their children. - -The Mongols of the steppes have almost lost the art of walking. They -live so much on horseback that their legs have become curved instead -of straight and when they walk their bodies bend forward as if they -were riding. The time was when great hordes of these wild horsemen -swept over the south of Asia and a great part of Europe, capturing and -killing the people wherever they came. Thus the horse has been of great -use in war. - -The horses of the steppes are of middle size but are very strong and -can go long without food and bear very hard work. They have quick, -alert ears and eyes full of life and spirit, and can easily travel from -forty to sixty miles in a day. Their color is light bay, cream color, -white spotted with red, or sorrel, and some of them are quite pretty. - -Here let us step aside to the British island and tell the story of a -famous horse, Black Bess, belonging to a famous rider, Dick Turpin, -the highwayman. Once when Dick was chased by the soldiers, this noble -animal carried him from London to York, a distance of one hundred and -five miles, in eleven hours. And this was done over rough roads and -without a stop to eat or drink. As she entered the gates of York the -splendid beast fell dead. You may learn from this what the horse is -able to do. - -If we wish to see the noblest and finest of all horses we must go from -the grassy steppes of the north to the sandy deserts of Arabia, where -for thousands of years has been kept the splendid Arab breed, the pride -of their masters and the swiftest and most beautiful of the horse -tribe. Many of these have been brought to Europe to give their blood -to the racing stock. Black Bess, Dick Turpin's noble horse, had much -Arabian blood. But the best of these horses are not sold out of their -native land, for a true Arab horseman would almost rather sell his soul -than his horse. - -Persia also has its noble breed of horses, kept for desert travel and -of the same type as those of Arabia. The mountain horses of the Balkans -are of a similar type, beautiful in color, often a golden brown, with -dark brown manes and tails, and soft, glossy coats. Like the Persian -and Arabian they have delicate but strong bones, large muscles and much -power of work and travel. - -Russia, with its vast plains, is the great country for the horse. Most -of these are the horses of the steppes, which we have spoken of, but -the Russian peasants have many millions of working horses, tall, stout, -strong beasts, with powerful legs and solid hoofs. They are not only -strong, but willing and ready, and are good for riding as well as -drawing. - -Germany comes next to Russia in the old world in numbers of horses, and -is noted for its fine, large, handsome carriage horses. From the days -of George I. of England, to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, -eight of the splendid horses of Hanover were used to draw the royal -coach on all state occasions, and fine, stately animals they were. - -France has several fine breeds of horses, from the heavy Norman Coach -horse to the powerful French Draft horse and the well-known Percherons, -much used in this country. In England the hunting and racing horses -stand first. These, known as Thoroughbreds, are in great part of the -Arabian stock and there are no finer animals to be found for the -race-track. Of the many other large breeds in Europe we shall speak -only of the great draft horses of Belgium, known the world over for -their fine shape, great muscles and vast strength. - -Coming down now from these elephant-like horses it is a long step to -the pony, the toy animal found in the cold countries of the north. Best -known among these are the Shetland ponies, from the frosty islands -north of Scotland. These tiny creatures, sometimes less than three -feet high, are ridden by children and used in circuses. But the chief -use in their native land for these poor little ponies is in the coal -mines, to draw the coal carts. Once taken into a mine, they never see -the light of day again, some of them living fifteen years in these dark -prisons. - - [Illustration: - - From Davis' Practical Farming - - Pure Bred Clydesdale Draft Horse] - -Another small, pony is the Norker horse of Norway, a strong little -creature, noted for its power of mountain travel and of swimming. The -ponies of Iceland are much like these, with thick coats of hair. These -get their food in winter by scraping away the snow with their hoofs and -eating the thin coat of grass and moss below. - -Sweden also has its ponies, as also the mountain regions of Britain and -other northern countries; but ponies are not confined to cold regions, -for we find them as far south as Italy and Greece, and in the Grecian -islands known as the Cyclades is a breed of ponies said to be still -smaller than those of the Shetlands. - -If we now cross the sea and come to our own country, the United States, -we find no native breed of horses, all those we have being of European -stock. This may seem strange when it is known that America was one -of the native homes of the horse. The ancestors of the horse dwelt -here, from little, five-toed animals of the size of a fox to the large -one-toed animal of the recent age. All over America horses once spread, -from the Arctic Seas to Patagonia, but when white men first reached -this soil not a horse remained. They all had gone, no one knows how, -and the continent had to be supplied again from European stock. - - - RACER AND HUNTER - -The horse has long been used in many ways by man; in cart, wagon, and -plough; on the race-track and in the hunting field; in war and in -peace. It has been man's great aid and helper, and through all the ages -until less than a century ago it was the fastest means of travel or of -sending news. Up to about 1830 all land travel was on horseback or by -coach, or else on foot. Then the locomotive came and brought a great -change. It was later still when men began to send news by lightning -express over the telegraph wire. In early days in our country the -mails, which now go so fast, were carried by old men on horseback, who -spent the time in knitting stockings as they jogged along slowly over -the rough roads. - - [Illustration: A Roman Chariot Race] - -The horse has long been used not only in travel but also in sport, as -a hunter and racer. When we read the story of ancient days and of the -old Greeks and Romans we find many tales of chariot races. These old -nations had great oval buildings, with thousands of seats, and a long -oval race-track around which the horses had to run several times to -finish the race. - -These were not horseback races, like those of to-day, but races with -chariots like those used in war. Each chariot was drawn by four swift -horses and driven by a man who stood upright with reins and whip in -hand and drove his horses at full speed round the track. The great and -rich people took part in these races and many thousands of lookers on -cheered them wildly as they sped onward like flying eagles. If any of -you should like to read a good story of an ancient chariot race you can -find one of the best in General Lew Wallace's novel of "Ben Hur." - -In the Middle Ages riding was done on horseback, and when carriages -and coaches were brought into use people despised those who rode in -them, calling them weak and lazy. So in those days the racing was on -horseback, as it still is in most cases. Many of these races went on -in the open country, through rough fields and over streams. They were -called "clock races," for the prizes were little wooden clocks, or -clock towers. These were afterwards made in silver, and from them came -the name of "steeplechase," by which such races are now called. - -Regular race-courses began in England in the reign of James I., after -1600, and in later years many Arabian horses were brought to that -country and racing became a common sport. One of the most celebrated of -those early racers was Eclipse, a horse never beaten and never needing -whip or spur. Since then there have been many famous racers, and racing -has become very popular in all parts of Europe. A bad feature of it -is the habit of betting on the speed of horses, by which many men have -lost all their money. - - [Illustration: Thoroughbred Racing Horse. A Trained Horse of This - Breed is the swiftest of all Animals] - -Racing was early brought over to this country, and was common in the -South in the times of the colonies. It is still kept up. The trotting -horse has been developed in the United States until now we have the -best trotters in the world. In the British islands, as you may know, -the racing horses are made to run, or gallop, quite a different pace -from the trot. - -The trotting horses of this country began with a fine English horse -named Messenger, born in 1780, of Arabian stock. In 1806 it was -thought splendid when a horse trotted a mile in 2.50 (2 minutes and 50 -seconds). There are now trotting horses which can make a mile in less -than 2 minutes. Running is a faster pace and a mile can be made in less -time, but Americans like trotting better. - -Shall I say something about the use of the horse in hunting? This has -long been a common sport in England and Ireland, much more so than in -this country. The owners of large estates in the British islands often -keep large packs of hounds, trained to chase the fox or the deer, and -known as fox-hounds and deer-hounds. Their stables are also filled with -horses, trained to run at full speed over rough country and jump high -fences and wide ditches. - -The hunting of deer and hares is an old form of sport, centuries old, -but now fox-hunting is liked better, and great care is taken to protect -the foxes for the use of the hunters. Fox-hunting is very hard work for -horses and only a good horse can be used as often as twice a week in -a fox-chase. There is a story of a deer hunt by the king's hounds and -horses where the chase was kept up nearly five hours over wild country. -It was so hard on horses and men that many of the riders had to give -up, two horses died in the field and seven others during the week. A -run of this length over rough ground, with all sorts of obstacles in -the way, will kill or badly injure the strongest horse. - -Trained hunters can do wonderful feats of jumping over fences and -ditches, but this leads to many accidents, and the injury or death of -horse or rider in the hunting field often takes place. - - [Illustration: Virginia Deer] - - - WAR-HORSE AND WORKING-HORSE - -In far past times the horse was used in war far more than in our days. -Men can now kill one another fast enough without the use of horses, but -large numbers are still used in the army, to haul wagons and guns and -for those who fight on horseback. In ancient days no saddle was used, -soldiers riding their horses bareback, though the great men of the -armies rode in war-chariots. The old Roman horsemen did not use bits -or bridles, but guided their horses by a headband which pressed on the -nose, the reins being fastened to rings on this band. In later Roman -times the saddle was used, but the Germans they fought with still rode -bareback or used the skin of an animal for a saddle. They did not use -stirrups. It was the same with the great Tartar riders, who came from -the steppes of Asia and conquered great part of Europe and Asia. - -In the days of chivalry, when the knights wore steel armor and used -heavy harness, large and strong horses had to be ridden, but in later -days much lighter horses served for the soldiers' needs. Those who have -read of Napoleon's wonderful campaigns know how much use he made of his -cavalry, and many horses are still used in war, though not so many as -of old. - -If now we leave the story of the war-horse and the racer and hunter -and come to that of the working-horse we meet with an animal in which -strength and pulling power are of more account than show and speed. -For ages past the horse has worked faithfully for man, in the farming -field, along the country road, on the streets of the cities; hauling -the plow and harrow in the field, the wagon and cart along the road, -the carriage, car, dray and other wheeled vehicle in the street. And -its life has often been one of much suffering, and still is in some -countries, for there are nations in which the poor, patient horse is -treated with great cruelty. - - [Illustration: A Logging Team with a Heavy Load] - -But in these days man has much less need of the horse than of old. Once -it did nearly the whole of man's hauling. Now the powerful locomotive -takes its place. In city streets the electric car saves the horse from -much of his former labor, and the automobile and auto-car are taking -the place of the horse for riding and hauling. Yet horses are still -in use in large numbers and it will be long before man gives up this -useful friend and helper. - - - THE HORSE TAMER - -The taming of wild horses is no light task. It is one that needs the -greatest skill and daring. The lasso, a long, strong rope with a noose -at its end, is the weapon of the tamer, with which he can bring down -the strongest and wildest animal. Chasing the wild horse on a tamed -one, trained in the art, the skilled rider, when near enough, will -fling his lasso with wonderful skill and rarely fails to catch the -fleeing animal in its strong noose. The horse he rides knows well its -duty, which is to pull back on the rope and check the flight of the -frightened creature. - -To bring the wild captive to the ground is only half the labor. It must -be saddled and bridled and ridden until it is worn-out and its wild -spirit gives way. It will plunge and rear, whirl round and kick in all -directions, even roll over and over, in a mad effort to throw the rider -from its back. Only when completely subdued will it yield, but once -tamed it may become a very faithful friend and servant to its tamer. - -Bucking is one of the ways a wild horse seeks to get rid of his rider, -and it takes a man of great skill to keep on the back of a bucking -horse. Lowering its head between its fore-legs, it gives a wild leap -upwards and comes down with a smash of its hoofs on the ground. The man -that can keep in the saddle through two or three of these jumps must -make himself part of the horse. - -The men who do this are splendid riders, and the cowboys of the plains, -who have to take care of the great herds of cattle, almost live on -horseback. Such a man can often bend over from his horse, reach down, -and pick up a small object, such as a glove, from the ground while -riding at full speed. - -Every young horse has to be broken to harness before it is fit for -work. The freedom which it has been given in its youthful days must -come to an end, and this it does not like. For a race-horse the -breaking is done when it is about a year and a half old, but for a -working or coach horse it is left until it is three or four years old. - -The horse-breaker must be gentle and patient or he may spoil the temper -of the horse. He must get the colt used to be touched and to feel the -halter. After that he leads out the young animal with rein and halter. -The next thing is to teach the colt the feel of the bit. A bit may -be put into its mouth every day while it is in the stable, so as to -accustom it to the feel of the metal. It is then taken out and driven -with long reins fastened to the bit, and taught to move to the pull of -the rein. After this the horse can be harnessed and put to work. - -All this takes much time and trouble and it is only done with fine -horses, other horses being broken with less pains. But if the animal is -high-bred a quick breaking may spoil its courage or ruin its temper. - - - THE ARAB AND HIS HORSE - -Would you not like to hear some more about the Arabian horse, the -noblest and best of his race? I have told how all our best racers are -of Arab stock and how dearly the Arab loves his horse. A child of -the desert, often having to go long and far without food and under a -blazing sun, the horse becomes very hardy. - -It may be tied by all four legs to stakes set in the ground and kept -there for many hours, the sun burning hot, yet if now its legs are set -free and its master springs upon its back it is as full of life and -spirit and as eager for a wild ride as if it had been taken fresh from -the stable. - -The comrade of its master by day and night, his support and comfort, -ready to go without food or drink in his service, the horse and its -rider grow more like two lovers than like master and servant. The -poverty of the Arab may at times force him to sell his horse, but it is -like selling a part of himself. - -"My eyes! my soul! my heart!" he will say, "must I be forced to give -thee a new master, and not keep thee myself? I am poor, my antelope; -I brought thee up in my dwelling as a child; I did never beat or chide -thee." - -Then he will embrace the noble animal, wipe its eyes with his -handkerchief, rub its glossy skin with his sleeve and remain long -talking to it as if he was parting with his dearest child. - - [Illustration: The Famous Arab Steeds and Desert Riders] - -"When I was at Jerusalem," says Chateaubriand, "the feats of one of -those steeds made a great noise. The Bedouin to whom the animal, a -mare, belonged, being pursued by the governor's guards, rushed with him -from the top of the hills that overlooked Jericho. The mare scoured at -full gallop down an almost perpendicular declivity without stumbling -and left the soldiers lost in admiration and astonishment. The poor -creature, however, dropped down dead on entering Jericho, and the -Bedouin, who would not quit her, was taken, weeping over the body -of his faithful companion. Ali Aga showed me, in the mountains near -Jericho, the footsteps of the mare that died in the attempt to save her -master." - -Here is one more story of the Arabian horse. "When the envoy," says -Sir John Malcolm, "was encamped near Bagdad, an Arab rode a bright -bay mare, of extraordinary shape and beauty, before his tent until he -attracted his attention. On being asked if he would sell her-- - -"'What will you give me,' was the reply. - -"'That depends upon her age; I suppose she is past five.' - -"'Guess again,' said he. - -"'Four?' - -"'Look at her mouth!' - -"On examination she was found to be rising three. This, from her size -and fine shape, added much to her value. - -"'I will give you fifty tomans,' said the envoy. (The toman is worth -about five dollars.) - -"'A little more--if you please.' - -"'Eighty--a hundred.' - -"He shook his head and smiled. The officer at last came to two hundred -tomans. - -"'Well,' said the Arab, 'you need not tempt me farther. You are a rich -elchee (nobleman); you have fine horses, camels, and mules, and I am -told you have loads of silver and gold. Now,' he added, 'you want my -mare, but you shall not have her for all you have got.'" - - - ANECDOTES OF THE HORSE - -The horse has a mind of its own, and now and then lets us see that it -can think, but it does not seem to have as good brain-power as the dog -or the cat. There is much reason for this. The horse eats grass and -does not need to think how to get its food. The dog and cat eat meat, -and in their wild state have to catch other animals for food. To do -this they have to use tricks and plans which need thought and thus -their minds are kept busy. - -Also they are in danger from other animals. Take the fox, which is a -sort of cousin of the dog. When chased by men and dogs it has many ways -of getting away from them besides running. This is not the case with -the horse, which is one of the best of runners and trusts to its heels -instead of its brain to escape from its enemies. So in its wild state -it does little work with its brain. - -The horse is a timid animal and easily scared. And when in a state of -fright it seems to have no power of thought. All it does is to run in a -mad way, rushing along over roads and streets without heed of where it -is going, and sometimes knocking out its brains against a post or wall. -You will not find a scared fox or wolf show such lack of sense as this. -They never get into a wild panic like the horse. - -Thus there is very little in the life of the horse to make it think. -Yet it can think to some extent, as may be seen from a few anecdotes. -It can also be taught to do tricks that need some brain-power. I think -you will like to read some stories of horse-thought. - -The horse has a good memory, as any one can see when riding over roads -which it travelled long before. There are many stories of men trusting -to their horses when they were in a dangerous place, and in this way -being brought out all right. A friend of Darwin, the naturalist, wrote -him this in a letter:-- - -"I want to tell you an instance of long memory in a horse. I have just -driven my pony down from London here, and though she has not been here -for eight years she remembered her way quite well, and made a bolt for -the stables where I used to keep her." - -This is only one out of many cases that could be told. A horse driven -by a doctor or milkman does not need to be drawn up before certain -houses. It knows just where to stop. There is a story told of a -gentleman who was in the habit of stopping his horse to give money to -every beggar he met on the road. He loaned or sold this horse to a -friend, who soon wrote to him asking him to take his horse back again. - -"I cannot pass a beggar on the road but the old fellow will stop and -will not start again until I have given the man something. If I have -no money I have to pretend to give before I can get him to move on." - -Some horses have the sense to help themselves in various ways. One of -these learned how to step out of its halter when the coachman had left -it for the night. Then it would pull out the sticks in the pipe of the -oat-bin so as to let all the oats run down over the stable-floor. Of -course, it had seen the coachman pull out these sticks and knew that -this was the way to get a free lunch. The same horse would also turn -the water-tap to get a drink and pull the window cord to open the -window on hot nights. - -Not many horses are as smart as this, yet numerous tricks played by -horses could be told. There is one told of a horse which, when turned -into a field where there was a pump, soon found out how to get water. -He would take the pump-handle in his mouth and work it with his head -until he had all the water in the trough he wanted to drink. Of course, -he had seen men work the handle in this way. - -A number of stories could be told of horses which went themselves to -the blacksmith shop when their shoes were out of order. One is of a -Shetland pony which came to a blacksmith shop a long distance from its -home and thrust its head in the door. The blacksmith drove it away but -it soon came back again. Then the smith looked at its feet and found -that one shoe was gone. He made and put on a shoe and then waited to -see what the animal would do. - -"For a moment it looked at the blacksmith as if asking whether he was -done. Then it pawed once or twice to see if the newly-shod foot was -comfortable, and finally gave a pleased neigh, lifted its head, and -started homewards at a brisk trot. The owner was much surprised to find -the horse at home that evening, fully shod, and could not understand it -until the smith had told him the story of his pony's wit." - -One of the smartest tricks we have met with is told of a mule, an -animal which is not supposed to have the sense of a horse. It belonged -to a gentleman living at Iowa City, and was an expert at getting into -mischief. It took every chance when the yard-gate and barn-door were -open to slip in and steal a mouthful of oats. One morning it was found -in the barn with the gate shut and latched and no one could tell how it -got there. This went on for some time, until a watch was set and the -smart mule was "caught in the act." - -This is the way it worked. It would reach over the fence with its head -and lift the gate latch. Then when the gate swung open it would go -through into the yard and back up against it, pushing it to till the -latch caught. This done, it went to the barn, pulled out the pin that -held the door, and walked calmly in. The owner says: "I am of the -opinion, had not discovery of the trick prevented, it would soon have -occurred to him to retrace his steps before daylight, in order to avoid -the clubbing which the stable boys gave him in the morning." - - [Illustration: A Pair of Prize Mules] - - - THE ASS, ZEBRA AND MULE - -The animal called the ass is a near relation of the horse, one best -known to us under its common name of Donkey. It is like the horse in -some ways and not like it in others. The ass is much smaller than -the horse, being nearer the size of the pony. It has a heavy head, -thick lips, long ears, and a tail not covered with long hair like the -horse's tail, but with a tuft of hair at the end like that of a cow. A -decided difference is in its voice, the bray of the donkey being an -ear-splitting sound, not at all like the neigh of the horse. - -The wild ass is found through all parts of Central and Southern Asia -and also in Northern Africa. It is spoken of in the Bible. The book of -Job praises this animal for its love of liberty. Job says of it: "He -scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the cry of -the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture and he searcheth -after every green thing." - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of Amer. Conservatory - - Mexican Donkey Waiting for the Last Straw] - -That is a good picture of the wild ass, for it seems to like every -green thing. It eats the bitter herbs of its favorite regions, the -mountain spinach, the dandelion, the thistle, and the witch grass, and -drinks the salt water of the Caspian Sea as readily as fresh water. -It is taller and stouter than the donkey, very active and able to -bear fatigue. Its winter coat resembles that of a camel, being long -and fleecy, but in summer its hair is soft and silky and silvery white -beneath. - -The Tartars and Persians kill and eat this animal, but it has sharp -eyes and keen ears and is a swift runner, so that it is hard to shoot. -When taken young it is easily tamed, and if well fed grows to be a -strong and handsome animal which sells at good prices. - -Such is the fine animal which has been turned into the dwarfed and -stupid donkey of Europe. To be dull and obstinate is not native to -this animal. Its lack of sense comes in great part from the way it is -treated and its being taken to a climate too damp and cold for it. In -the warm, dry regions of the south it is a finer animal and gets better -care, and here the people often pet and love their donkeys. - -In China and Persia there is a fine race of asses, used only for -riding, and these are so thick in Bokhara that the streets are often -crowded with them. They are of many colors, white, black, brown, -blue-gray, etc. The donkeys of Egypt also are handsome animals, with an -easy gait that makes them much liked for riding. Still handsomer are -those of Upper Egypt and Nubia, which are such fine creatures that they -sell for more than horses. - -In the western states of this country and in the Spanish republics is -a very small donkey, called the Burro, much used as a carrier of loads -in the mountain regions and in the streets of cities. There are also -great numbers of wild asses in parts of South America, Patagonia having -very many of them. They were once so abundant in the Cape Verde and -Canary Islands that they were hunted and killed like beasts of game. -Aside from their flesh, which is much liked when they are young, the -skin is of value, being made into parchment, vellum and shagreen. - - [Illustration: The Striped Zebra of Africa] - -The Zebra, one of the most beautiful of animals, from its handsomely -striped skin, is a member of the horse family, but one of which we do -not need to speak, since it is found only in a wild state. It has in -some cases been tamed and trained to harness, but it is an obstinate -and hot-tempered brute, so that few have tried to tame it. - -Another striped animal of Africa rather like the zebra, is the Quagga, -but this has been hunted and killed till now none of them can be found. -Its name came from its cry ("quag-ga quag-ga"), as different from the -neigh of the horse as from the bray of the ass. - -A cross has been made between the zebra and the horse, which has been -named the Zebrule or Zebroid. These have proved strong and easy to -train for harness and saddle. There are several of them now in the -government collection of animals at Washington, and some time they may -prove useful. - -But the best cross-breed is that between the horse and the ass, well -known to us all as the Mule. The breeding of mules has been carried on -from very old times and is now common in many parts of the earth. It -yields an animal which is cheaper to keep than the horse and better -fitted for many kinds of work. - -I hardly need tell you what the mule is like, for all of you have often -seen this ugly and at times very obstinate, but hard-working brute. -The mule is much like the horse in size and shape, but it has the long -ears, the tufted tail, the thin, wiry legs, and the narrow hoofs of the -ass. And while its coat is like that of the horse, its voice comes -near that of the ass. - -The mule is like the ass also in being strong, hardy and not given to -disease. Even when thirty years old it often shows no sign of age. Thus -it is useful for more years than the horse, eats less, and is fit for -work not suited to the horse. - -The mule is of great use in carrying loads over mountain paths. It has -a firm, sure foot and can carry loads of five hundred pounds for weeks -at a time over pathless hills. The planters of the South could not do -without it in their cotton and sugar fields and it takes the place of -the horse for much of the street work of cities. - -This is not all. Mules are often used for riding and are very good for -this. They are also used in carriages. They are raised in large numbers -in Spain, where fine ones bring high prices, selling from $150 to $350. - -We should hardly look to the donkey and the mule for signs of powers -of thought, but it is likely that they are equal to the horse in -intellect. The story of a gate-opening mule, given above, goes beyond -anything we have found said about the horse, and it is very likely that -all those members of the horse tribe, which are much alike in habits, -are also much alike in thought powers. - - - - - [Illustration] - - III - - CLOVEN-HOOFED DRAUGHT ANIMALS - - -Now we come to the two-toed animals, those called the cloven-hoofed. -Looking at our own arms and legs we find five toes on each foot and -five fingers on each hand and might fancy that this is the natural -number. We find it to be so with the monkeys and with many other -animals but we soon find some with fewer toes. Thus the dog, while it -has five toes on its fore feet, has only four on its hind feet. - -In the tapir and the rhinoceros we meet with three-toed animals and -soon come across two-toed and one-toed animals. The two-toed are very -common, for we find them in the sheep and cattle of our fields, the pig -of the barnyard, the camel, the deer, the antelope, and several other -kinds. As for the one-toed, their story has just been told. - -Is it not worth knowing that the fewer toes an animal has the faster -and longer it can run? We find this in the one-toed horse, and its -cousins, the ass and the zebra, the greatest runners of all animals. -Next to them come the two-toed animals. Of these the deer and antelopes -are fast runners, though some of them run very little. We do not -find many runners among the five-toed animals. Those of the cat tribe -are better at jumping than running. In the dog tribe, in which are -the wolves and foxes, there are good runners, but these animals trust -to their wits as much as to their legs, catching their game often by -cunning tricks. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - The Native Ox Cart of Delhi, India] - -Another matter of some interest is the fact that all the one-toed -animals are much alike in form and habit, while the two-toed differ -so much that we can find little or no likeness between them. Take the -ox, the goat, the pig, the buffalo, and the camel. Are these alike in -anything except their split hoofs? The fact is that the single hoof -seems to fit animals only for running, while the double hoof fits them -for various kinds of life. We find them at home in the desert, on the -mountains and plains, in the forest depths, and in swampy regions, -their forms and habits changing to suit the kind of life they lead. - -Many of these animals have been tamed and made to serve man in various -ways. We can see them all about us, some of them kept for food, some -for work in the field or on the road. Let us take a look at those used -for work. - - - THE OX AND BUFFALO - -That great lumbering beast we call the ox, with his long horns and his -slow, lazy walk, is one of the strong workers of the world. Go where we -will we see him, pulling the plough or the cart and wagon. If we leave -home and go over the world we shall find many people using the ox. In -South Africa we may see long teams of them pulling the heavy wagons of -the farmers. In India the Hindu people eat no meat, but they keep many -cattle to work in their fields. It is the same in many other countries -both of the Old and the New World. - -Among our own people the ox is much used as a working animal. While -large use is made of the horse and donkey, the strength and patience -of the ox give it great value and it is used for many kinds of work. -Though a slow, plodding animal, it can pull a big load by the aid of -its wooden yoke. In the fields of the South the farmers and planters -could not well get along without it. - -Our ox is not the only worker of his kind. In far-off Asia there are -two other animals which are cousins of the ox and are made to work -like him. Their names belong to the end of the alphabet, for they are -called the Yak and the Zebu. The Yak is found in Tibet and other parts -of Central Asia, where it is tamed and put to work, but not to pull the -cart or the plough. It can carry heavy loads and travel twenty miles a -day. - - [Illustration: Hauling Sugar Cane in Puerto Rico] - -This animal has a thick coat of long, silky hair, which hangs nearly to -the ground. Ropes and cloth are made from it. The tail is just a great -bunch of long hair. The Yak does not bellow like the ox but gives a -short grunt. Its milk is very rich, and fine butter is made from it. - - [Illustration: The White Yak of the Asiatic Mountains] - -The Zebu is kept in India, China, East Africa and the islands of the -eastern seas. It is much like the ox but has a big hump of fat on its -shoulders. Sometimes there are two humps. In this way it is like the -camel. Some of the zebus are larger than any oxen and some are only as -big as a large mastiff dog. They are quiet, gentle animals, made to -work in the plough and in the road and also used for riding. They can -travel from twenty to thirty miles a day. - -There is another animal much used for the same kind of work, the -Buffalo. This is not the animal long known in our country as the -buffalo, but which is really not a buffalo, its proper name being -bison. It is not a savage animal and could easily have been tamed and -put to work. But as the settlers in the colonies had the ox and the -horse already trained to their work no one tried to tame the bison. -Since no one cared for these great animals, the hunters got after them -and shot them in such vast numbers that now they are nearly all gone. -Where fifty years ago there were millions of them in the West, to-day -there are only a few hundreds to be found anywhere. - - [Illustration: The American Bison alone on the Prairie] - -The real buffalo is found in the south of Asia and Europe, where it -is tamed and put to work, much use being made of it. There is another -species found in Africa which is very fierce and savage, hunters often -being more afraid of it than they are of the lion. The buffalo of India -is also savage in its wild state and the princes of that country set -it to fight with the tiger in their public shows. Armed with great, -sharp horns, it is more than a match for the tiger. - -In its tame state the buffalo is a very docile animal when it is well -treated, but will not bear bad treatment. In size and shape it is like -a large, clumsy ox, but it is much stronger than the ox and can carry -or draw a much heavier load. Thus it is of great value as a working -animal. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - Cultivating Rice Field with the Chinese Ox. Hawaii] - -It is used in many parts of the East. The farmer in the Philippine -Islands could not get along without it, as it is his common helper in -the fields. Known there by the name of Carabao, it is loved by its -owner and played with by his children, and is the plough-horse of the -islands. It can be driven by a mere child. The plough used there is no -more than a heavy stick of wood sharpened to a point at one end, with a -handle for the farmer and a beam to which the buffalo is harnessed. - -This is the way in which the rice fields of the East are worked. The -buffalo is also kept in Egypt, Greece, Italy and some other countries -and everywhere is a very useful working animal. But it has one habit -that needs to be looked after. - -By nature it is a swamp dweller, and can keep its head under water for -two minutes at a time, feeling at the bottom of pools and streams for -certain favorite plants. If it is to be kept in health it must have -its daily mud-bath. It loves to fling itself in the mire and shuffle -about until it is covered with mud from its tail to its eyes. When it -has dried itself in the sun it looks like a huge clay image. It has its -reason for this, for in those swamp regions are millions of stinging -flies and the mud is intended as a coat of armor. - -Strong as the buffalo is, it cannot work for more than two hours -without rest, and will not live long if kept at a distance from -streams. Its fondness for mud and water is the habit that needs to be -looked after. It is not safe to load it with any goods that are likely -to be spoiled by water, for it will lie down with its load in any -stream it comes near. - -Travellers who have ridden on the Philippine Carabaos have found out -this habit in a way not to their liking, for they have more than once -been flung suddenly into a mud-bath by their ugly steeds. If the animal -sees a bed of mud along the road he is sure to fling himself into it -unless kept out by a strong rein. And unless his rider gets off in a -hurry he will be treated in the same way. In Italy the buffalo is most -at home in the Pontine Marshes, and no one can keep it anywhere unless -there are mud and water near at hand. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - The Carabao, the Working Animal of the Philippine Islands] - - - THE LAPLAND REINDEER - -While the buffalo is the draught animal of the sultry south and the -ox of the more temperate regions, in the freezing north the Reindeer -takes their place. Among the many species of deer, some of which, as -the moose and elk, are large and strong, this is the only one that has -been made to work for man. The people of Lapland could not live without -it, and it is also of very much use to the tribes of northern Siberia. -We have the same animal in the northern parts of America, where it is -called the Caribou, but there it has rarely been tamed and is hunted as -game. - -The Laplander uses the reindeer as we use the horse and as the Eskimo -uses the dog, as a travelling animal. It is strong and swift and can -easily draw a weight of two hundred pounds on a sledge. It can travel -for a long time at a speed of nine or ten miles an hour. - -A rich Laplander is a man who owns a great many reindeer, some of them -having herds of two thousand or more. To the men of Lapland, as we are -told, "the reindeer serves as a substitute for horse, cow, sheep, and -goat." It gives fine milk, is a good traveller, its hair is of use, and -its flesh and skin are of much value. Almost every part of the dead -animal can be used in some way, so that it serves the Laplander dead or -alive. - -It is not hard to keep. In the summer it feeds on the shoots of the -willow and the birch, and in winter on the reindeer-moss and other -snow-covered plants. To get at these it uses both its hoofs and its -long, branching antlers in digging through the snow. This is the way -in which various hoofed animals keep themselves in the winter, such as -the musk-ox of the far north. The horse does the same in such cold -countries as Iceland. - - [Illustration: Herd of Reindeer Brought from Lapland for the Use of - the Indians of Alaska] - -As I have said, we have a reindeer of our own in the Caribou, but no -one has really tamed it and put it to work. Yet it would be useful in -the north of Canada, and reindeer have been brought from Lapland to -Alaska and Labrador. They seem to do well there and may in time become -of much service to the Indians and to white settlers. - - - THE SHIP OF THE DESERT - -Far away from where we live, in what may be called the world of the -East, there are mighty deserts, almost oceans of sand. These are oceans -without water, vast tracts of land in which no blade of grass can -grow, except where a green oasis rises like an island in their midst. -Such a desert covers nearly the whole of Arabia and other wide regions -in Asia. On the map of Africa may be seen a still greater one, that -which bears the name of the Sahara. - -In these deserts no rain falls to water the thirsty soil, springs are -few and far apart, and those who travel through them must carry food -and water on their journeys. These great sand oceans have their native -animal, the humped and long-necked Camel, the "ship of the desert," as -it is fitly called, since it carries freight and passengers over the -sand-strewn lands as ships do over the wide seas. - -An ugly brute is the camel, with its humped back, its long neck, short -legs, and bunches of shaggy hair. But ugly as it is the Arab finds -something in it to praise, and could not well live in the desert -without it. Arabia and the other deserts of Asia are the camel's native -soil, and nature has fitted it well for its home in the sands. It does -not belong to the Sahara, but was taken there by the Arabs. But it -finds itself much at home on that world of sand. It is not well suited -for fertile countries, though it is used in India and China to carry -loads for their people. - -The camel is a two-toed animal but is like the horse in having only one -hoof. This is a broad pad or cushion which takes in both its toes and -fits it to travel over the soft sand. It is not hard, like the horse's -hoof, but elastic so as to yield at every step. - - [Illustration: A Sahara Desert Scene. The Mohammedan driver hobbles - the animal's foot while at prayer] - -It is not only by its foot that the camel is fitted to dwell in the -realms of sand, for it seems made for the desert in every part of its -body. There are two kinds of camels, the Arabian, with one hump, and -the Bactrian, of the northern deserts, with two humps, and it is these -which give it so ugly a shape. - -Are these humps a kind of saddle made for man's use, you ask? Not at -all, for the camel had them before there were any men to ride him. -They are really food supplies, masses of fat which help to keep the -animals alive on long journeys. No wise Arab will set out to cross the -desert without feeding his camel until its hump is full and plump, for -in this the animal carries its own food. It dines and sups on its hump -when there is nothing else to eat, so that the hump shrinks and grows -smaller. - -But how does the camel find water to drink in the dry desert? Has it -a water supply as well as a food supply? We should not think this -possible, yet it has. In long journeys it needs water as well as food -and inside it is a well-filled water vessel. There are "water-cells" in -its stomach, in which about a gallon and a half of water can be stored -away, enough to last for three days if no water is found. At times, -when the rider is in great need of water, he will kill his camel so as -to get this store from its stomach. - -There are still other ways in which the camel is fitted for a desert -life. Thus it has fine powers of sight and smell. It can smell water -when it is more than a mile away and if tethered will break its halter -and run in a straight line for the well or spring. Its nostrils are -mere slits, which it can close when the wind fills the air with sand. -At times a burning wind called the simoon blows fiercely across the -desert. Then the camel falls on its knees, stretches its long neck like -a snake along the sand, and closes its nostrils to keep out the sand -carried by the wind. Thus it stays till the storm is past. At the same -time the driver wraps his face in his mantle and hides himself behind -his beast. - -There is one other thing to say. The camel likes good food when it is -to be had, but it can live on any kind of plants. It will eat anything -in the way of leaves, shrubs, dry sticks, or vegetable matter of any -sort, and can live on food on which many animals would starve. You may -see from all this how wonderfully it is fitted for a desert life. - -Are we not right in saying that without the camel the Arab would find -it hard to live in the desert? For ages past long caravans of camels -have been crossing the sea of sand from the fertile lands of the nearby -countries to the oases where the settled Arabs dwell. Not until the -camel is four years old does its training as a carrier of loads begin. -Then it is taught to kneel down and to rise at a given signal, light -weights being at first put on it and heavier ones afterwards. - -It can carry heavy weights, its loads ranging from 500 to 1000 pounds, -some breeds of camels being much stronger than others. In desert -journeys it is expected to carry this load twenty-five miles a day for -three days without drink. The swift animals used for riding will carry -their rider with his food and water fifty miles a day for five days -without drinking. A camel lives from forty to fifty years, so you may -see that it is of great value to its master. - - [Illustration: A Rug Laden Caravan] - -If too heavy a load is put on its back the camel will not rise from its -knees; but when once on foot it is very patient and will plod on under -its heavy load until it is ready to die. When its load is taken off it -does not seek the shade, like other animals, but kneels down in the -full glare of the sun, as if it loved the burning sand. - - - THE DROMEDARY - -There are almost as many breeds of camels as there are of horses, and -the kind used for riding is as different from the load-carrier as the -race-horse is from the cart-horse. The burden-bearer has a thick body, -heavy feet, coarse hair, and a slow pace. The racing breed is thin of -body, fine-haired, and much more elegant in shape. It is as celebrated -for its swift speed as is the Arabian horse, and a good animal is able -to carry its rider a hundred miles in a day. - -While all the single-humped camels are often called dromedaries, it is -more correct to speak of the racing camel as the dromedary. An Arab -sheik is as proud of a fine animal of this kind as an American or -Englishman is of his fine race-horse. - -But if any of you should ever be asked to mount a camel it would be -wise to decline the honor, unless you are good at holding on, for -camel-riding is an art that must be learned. The awkward animal has -a swinging and jolting gait that is hard to get used to. During the -world's fair at Chicago in 1893 one of the greatest amusements of the -Midway was to see people trying to ride the camels which had been -brought to the Egyptian section of the fair. It was much better fun for -the lookers-on than for the riders. In camel-riding a saddle is not -used, as on the horse, but a sort of platform is fastened on the hump. - -The camel we have so far spoken of is the one-humped Arabian kind. The -two-humped or Bactrian species is larger and stronger but is not nearly -so common. It is found in the desert region of the north from the Black -Sea to China. Both kinds are found in Central Asia, but the Bactrian -goes as far north as Siberia, where the cold is often very severe and -it has to live on the leaves and twigs of the willow and birch trees. - -Though the camel is fitted by nature for life in the desert, it is much -used elsewhere. For ages past it has been the great carrier in Asia, -long camel trains, or caravans, taking the place of the modern railroad -train. It is also used for pulling carts and for ploughing, in which -yokes of four camels may be seen. You could not think of anything more -awkward or clumsy-looking than a camel harnessed to a cart. - - [Illustration: - - From Madeira's Hunting in British East Africa - - Camel Hauling Water. The Camel is Used Alike as a Carrier and a Drawer - of Burdens] - -If any one asks about the intellect of the camel we can only say that -it does not show much sign of having any. It seems to be a stupid -creature, with only sense enough to protest against bad treatment. In -most cases it is very docile but if ill-treated it can be as obstinate -as a mule. Also it bears in mind a wrong done to it and will at times -wait a long time to revenge itself. The camel-driver knows this and if -he thinks the animal is waiting its chance to attack him he will throw -his clothes before it. These the animal tosses and tramps on in a wild -rage. After that it appears to forget the wrong done it and the man is -safe. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - Yaks Picketed near Camp in India] - -The camel is useful to its owner in other ways than those mentioned. -Thus it supplies him with food, the Arabs being fond of the flesh of -the young camel, which tastes like veal. Camel's milk is also excellent -to drink and can be made to yield butter and cheese. The hair is woven -by the Arab into cloths suitable for clothing and for tent covers and -the finer hair is used for paint brushes. So living and dead the camel -serves his master. - - - THE LLAMAS AND ALPACAS - -If my readers are now ready to leave the deserts of Asia and go with me -to the mountains of South America they will find there the only animals -on the earth that are relatives of the camel. How the family of the -camels came to be so widely separated no one knows. As it is, we find -than on two sides of the earth with no links to join them. - -In Peru and Chile there are four different kinds of these camels of -the New World, two of which, the Llama and Alpaca, have been tamed, -the others being wild. These are not animals of the desert, but lovers -of the hills, as they dwell on the highest parts of the Andes. Like -the camels of the East, they have long been in the service of man. -The Llama was the bearer of burdens for the old Peruvians and is a -burden-bearer to-day, though the mule is beginning to take its place. - -These animals do not look like the camel. Their backs have no humps and -their heads are more like that of the deer. Instead of the small ears -of the camel they have erect ears like the mule. But they have long -necks like the camel, also cushioned feet and a stomach that is fitted -to hold water. This is strange in animals that have no need to store up -water. It seems as if the habit of storing water began very long ago -among the ancestors of the camel tribe. - -The Llama is a much smaller animal than the camel, being about three -feet high at the shoulders. It keeps its head raised like a deer and -is a gentle and docile animal, though it has a habit that is not much -liked by those that make it angry. This is to squirt a mouthful of its -yellow spittle into their faces. This has an unpleasant odor and this -nasty habit makes drivers careful not to overwork the animals. - - [Illustration: A Llama Train Descending the Mountains of Peru] - -The Llama is a sure-footed creature, knows how to find food for itself, -and can carry a weight of a hundred pounds about twelve miles a day. -This makes it very useful for the miners of the Andes, who use it to -carry their ore down the rough and steep mountain paths. When the -animals are tired they will lie down, and the only way to make them -get up is to take off their loads. That is another way they have to -make their drivers treat them kindly. - -The Alpaca is a smaller animal than the Llama and is not used to carry -goods, but for all that it has its uses and is kept in large flocks on -the high levels of the Andes. Its value lies in its wool. While the -hair of the Llama is coarse and of little use, the Alpaca is covered -with a long, fine wool, of a silky lustre, which if left uncut will -grow to twenty, and even to thirty inches in length. If cut every year -it grows to be about six or eight inches in length. Its color is often -a yellowish-brown, but is sometimes gray or black. - -For very many years the Indians have made their blankets and cloaks of -alpaca wool, and for more than fifty years it has been used in Europe -and America to make shawls, coat-linings, umbrella-covers and other -goods. The wild species have also a very delicate and soft wool, of -high value in weaving, but it is not nearly so long as that of the -alpaca. - - - THE ARCTIC BEAST OF BURDEN - -A fact many of you may know is that nearly all the animals kept by man -for work or for food are those with hoofed feet. Among other animals -that he puts to work may be named the dog, and this is not used much as -a worker. A little has been said in former pages about working dogs, -but the only region in which the dog is kept only for work is in the -Arctic zone. The dog is the working animal of the Eskimo and the only -one. Therefore in speaking of animals that work for man we must not -forget the Eskimo dog. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of The Philadelphia Museums - - Dog Train Hauling Provision in Northern Canada] - -These big, strong, savage, thick-coated dogs of the realm of ice, are -so much like the wolf that if let loose they would soon begin to make -their living in the wolf's way. Their owners do not think of making -pets or hunters of them. They simply feed and drive them and keep them -in order with the whip. What the Eskimo dog dearly loves is a fight, -and they snarl and snap at one another as savagely as any wolf could -do. Only the sharp use of the whip can keep them from fighting. - -The Eskimos could not live in their cold country without the aid of -these hardy animals. No other creatures could be found so well suited -to their needs. With their thick and warm coat of hair these dogs can -bear the greatest cold, and at night all they need for bed or shelter -is a snow-bank into which they can dig and bury themselves. Here they -sleep as cosily as if they were in a bed of feathers. - -They will eat any kind of meat or fish, and can drag a sledge with -great speed and for hours at a time over the ice. Thus it may be seen -that the Eskimos and Indians of the north have a useful servant in the -dog. They hitch it to their sledges, the number of dogs varying with -the load to be drawn. No reins are needed. There is a leader to the -team trained to follow a trail and to obey its master's orders. The -driver also carries a long, stinging whip with which he is very expert -and can reach any dog in the team. If they get into a fight, as they -are apt to do even when drawing a sledge, the whip is used to bring -them back to their work. - -What would travellers in the sea of ice or seekers for the North Pole -have done without the dog? It has drawn them and their food in all -their journeys over the ice and the Eskimo dog is the only animal -besides man that ever reached the Pole. Without its aid Peary, the -great explorer, would never have got to the North Pole or got back -again to his ship. Is it not well to speak, then, about how the dog -helped him in this famous discovery? - -When Peary took his ship, the Roosevelt, far to the north, he had on -board more than two hundred dogs and plenty of walrus meat to feed -them. When he went north over the ice these dogs were used to draw the -sledges loaded with food and other supplies. The explorers had to walk; -no dogs could be spared to draw them. - - [Illustration: Alaskan Dog Team. The Winter Mail-Carriers] - -On his last dash to the north, from 87° 57´ north latitude to 90° (a -distance of about 140 miles), he had five sledges and forty dogs. The -sledges were the pick of twenty-five that had started from the ship and -the dogs were the best of all his teams. Also for drivers he had his -four best Eskimos. With these sledges and men and dogs he got to the -North Pole, which no one had ever reached before, and the faithful dogs -shared the glory of the discovery. They came back with him--some of -them, for some died on the way. The poor brutes did not know what they -had done, and no doubt thought a good meal of walrus meat better than a -dozen Poles, either North or South. - -Now shall we say something about the South Pole? Dogs have been used -there too, but when Lieutenant Shackleton, the English explorer, made -his famous journey in that region in 1909, he took with him four of the -hardy ponies of the North, thinking they would be better than dogs. -But his ponies died, one by one, and he and his men had to drag their -sledges back by hand, eating the frozen pony meat as they toiled along -over mountains of ice. Later explorers have taken dogs with them as -better fitted for the work than the best ponies. - - - THE ELEPHANT IN MAN'S SERVICE - -I do not need to tell you what the Elephant is like. Almost everybody -has seen this noble creature, the largest of all animals except the -whale. It belongs in its way to the hoofed animals, though it has five -toes on each foot. For these are covered by a sort of elastic hoof, -something like that of the camel, which gives it an easy, springy -step. Though its home is in Asia and Africa, it has often been brought -to America and shown in menageries and other places. It is a great, -clumsy-looking brute, with a long, flexible trunk, ivory tusks, great -flapping ears, stout legs and broad hoofs. The tusks, you know, are -great overgrown teeth made of hard ivory. - -It does not look like an animal that could think, but few of the -animals below man have done so many wise and smart things. Only the dog -and the monkey are its equals. I shall speak of its thinking powers -further on, but here I wish to deal with the elephant as a worker for -man. - -The wild elephant loves its freedom and fights hard against those who -seek to capture it, but when taken and tamed is often very mild and -gentle. In India large parties of men, four hundred or more in number, -are sent out to drive the wild elephants into great, strong pens that -have been built of heavy timbers. Here tame elephants are used to hold -the wild ones while they are being tied fast. By these and other means -many of them are made captives and they soon become man's willing -friends and helpers. - -The elephant is made use of in various ways. In ancient times it was -often used in war. Troops of elephants were made to rush on the ranks -of enemies and kill them with trunk and hoofs. In this way even the -Roman armies were put to flight, they being scared when they first saw -these huge, strange animals. But they soon learned how to frighten them -with torches and drive them back upon their friends. - -The elephant has long been used in India as a working animal, and for -this its great strength makes it of much use. It can lift and move -heavy loads and a common elephant can carry half a ton for a long -distance. But they need much care and cost a good deal to keep, for it -takes about 800 pounds of fodder a day to feed a large one. - -When at work they show very good sense and know well how to do things. -You would think so if you could see them at work in piling or moving -timber. I fancy you would laugh to see how nicely and neatly they do it -and what good sense they show. - -The female elephants have no large tusks, so that they can use only -their trunks in moving the logs, but the male animals use their great -tusks as well as the trunk. They will push logs weighing a ton and a -half with ease. If the log has to go into the river they will push and -roll it along to the bank, and as it slides down the muddy bank to the -water will give it a slap with the trunk, as if to say, "Good-bye, old -fellow; there you go." - -If the log to be moved happens to be jammed among the others, the wise -animal soon sets it right. He will begin by getting his tusks under -it and lifting it to the proper height. If the log is a heavy one, he -will sink down on his knees so as to get a better lift upon it. It is -a lesson in elephant wit to see him stack timbers. He will lift one -end of the log nine or ten feet, and put it on top of the pile. Then -he will go to the other end and push this forward until the log lies -straight. - -The driver helps him in this by words and signs, all of which he knows -as well as a sheep dog knows the words of the shepherd. The best -trained animals are put to work in the saw mills, where they move about -with much care among the saws and other machines. One man who saw an -elephant laying planks and slats to be sawed, said in a newspaper -that he saw the animal shut one eye while it squinted along the bench -with the other to make sure the timber was laid straight. Perhaps the -reporter had both eyes shut when he saw this. - - [Illustration: Elephant Piling Lumber. Observe How the Log is Grasped - between the Trunk and the Tusks] - -It must be said that elephants are in some ways like men and boys. -There are willing ones and lazy ones; some that like to work and some -that hate work. You will see the willing ones drag along a log that -weighs two tons without a groan. The lazy ones may be as strong as the -willing ones, but they will make a dreadful fuss over a log not half as -heavy. They are like boys, too, in the fact that some of them have good -tempers while others are cross and surly. - -There is one thing more to be said about the elephant. It knows how -heavy it is and does not like to go over a weak place. Thus it will -not walk over a bridge until it has tried it to learn if it is strong -enough, and it will not go into a boat without doing the same. You may -see that it has sense enough to take care of itself. - -Here is the story of an elephant that had every day to go over a small -bridge. "He one day refused to go over it, and it was only by goring -him most cruelly with the _hunkoss_ (a sharp iron goad) that the driver -could get him to venture on the bridge, the strength of which he had -first tried with his trunk. At last he went on, but before he could get -over the bridge gave way and they fell into the ditch, which killed the -driver and greatly injured the elephant." It is very likely that the -wise animal had found it to be weak when he last crossed it and knew it -was not safe. - -I must tell you the story of some elephants that were with a body of -troops in the mountain region of India. In their march they came to a -steep place where the men laid a stairway of logs for the elephants to -climb up. The first elephant came to it, took a good look, shook his -head, and backed off. When the driver tried to force him to climb he -would not move, but roared like a scared boy. Only when some change was -made in the stairs could he be got to set foot on them, and he climbed -up with great care, trying every step as he went. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - A Military Elephant on Duty, India] - -When he was part way up he came to a tree which he tried with his trunk -and did not like. It seemed too weak. Again he stopped. The driver -tried to get him to go on with such words as "My life," "Well done, my -dear," "My son," and other kind words of which elephants are very fond, -but he would not be got to move. Then force was tried. The elephant -roared terribly but would not stir. - -At length some other change was made in the logs. This the wise -creature tried and then went on until he reached the top. When he got -there he showed the greatest delight, caressing the keeper with his -trunk and throwing dirt about in the most playful manner. - -The elephant that followed was a much younger one. It had watched its -comrade go up with great interest, making movements with its head and -trunk as if it was helping him. When he reached the top it gave a -salute like the sound of a trumpet. But when it was called on to take -its turn it was greatly scared and had to be forced to mount the slope. -When it got near the top the older animal reached down his trunk and -twined it around that of the younger and thus helped him to the summit. - -Then the two animals greeted each other in the most friendly manner, as -if they were old friends just met. They embraced each other with their -trunks and stood for many minutes face to face as if they were talking -over what they had done. All this goes to show that the elephant has a -good deal of human nature in his huge carcass, and along with it a good -deal of sound sense. - - - ANECDOTES OF THE ELEPHANT - -The stories just told show that the great beast we are talking about -has a keen idea of danger, often a better one than his drivers, and -is more careful than a good many men we have seen. We give them as -examples of the wit and wisdom of this sensible animal. If we look for -stories of this kind among the other working animals, such as the ox, -the buffalo, and the camel, we find little show of powers of thought, -but of the elephant as a thinker there are very many interesting -anecdotes. Some of these you may like to read. - -The story has often been told that the elephant, when he wants to get -something a little out of reach, will blow on the ground or a wall -beyond, so as to drive it inward by the wind of his breath. Here is the -story of an elephant in which the cunning fellow took a different way -of doing this. - -"I was one day feeding an elephant with potatoes, which he took out of -my hand. One of them, a round one, fell on the floor, just out of reach -of his trunk. After trying in vain to reach it, he at length blew the -potato against the opposite wall with such force as to make it rebound, -and he then without difficulty secured it." That is much like what a -boy does in playing hand ball. - -The elephant has a good memory and also a fine sense of justice. It is -not a safe animal to play tricks upon, for it does not forget the man -who did this and will wait long for a chance to get even with him. Here -is an instance told by a Captain Shipp, who wished to learn for himself -if the elephant would bear in mind an injury and try to repay it. - -One day he gave an elephant a sandwich of bread, butter and cayenne -pepper. After he had waited for six months he visited the animal to see -how it would act and began to fondle it as he had been used to do. The -great beast showed no signs of anger and the captain thought that it -must have forgotten him and his pepper sandwich. But suddenly, while -he was not looking, the elephant filled his trunk with dirty water and -drenched the captain from head to foot. - -You may see from this that elephants have very good memories. - -One gentleman tells of visiting some elephants in London, and moving -out of reach with his cane a part of the hay one of them was feeding -on. The great beast showed much anger at this act. "Look out for him," -said the keeper; "he will never forget it." The joker forgot it, for -some weeks later he visited the same place and came within reach of the -animal's trunk. Instantly it made a savage blow at him, that would have -cracked his skull and killed him on the spot if he had not jumped back. - -In fact, many instances might be given where elephants have killed -those who had injured them. Numbers of such tales could be told. Here -is a story that teaches more than one lesson of elephant nature. - -An English gentleman, Mr. G. L. Layard, was visiting Ceylon and there -saw a troop of working elephants coming up the road in the evening. -Mrs. Layard asked if she might go down from the bungalow and see them -nearer at hand. "Certainly," said Mr. Birch, the gentleman who had them -in charge. - -He took a bunch of bananas from the lunch table and led the way to a -fine female elephant, who was swinging her trunk about and looking at -them. He gave the fruit to the lady and said:-- - -"You may give them to her, Mrs. Layard; she is a nice, quiet beast." - -Mrs. Layard held them out to the elephant, who took them gently, put -them in her mouth and swallowed them, and then fondled the giver with -her trunk. After patting and talking to her for some time they walked -back to the house, where something was said in praise of the animal. - -"Yes," said Mr. Birch, "she is a noble beast, and very intelligent. She -has killed two of her keepers within the last month." - -The lady grew pale as death on hearing this, and Layard turned on the -speaker in a rage. - -"And you let my wife put herself in that creature's power!" he cried. -"What do you mean by that?" - -"Oh," said Birch quietly, "do you think I would have let Mrs. Layard -go near her if there had been any danger! She is the quietest and best -tempered beast in the stud. She was quite right to kill her keepers. -They had robbed her of her food." - -You may see from this that there is a code of right and wrong among -elephants. Kind treatment they meet with kindness and ill treatment -with revenge, and while they have a sense of justice they also have a -sense of humor, and can give trick for trick. You can at times see them -fairly laughing at some trick they have played. - -While an elephant was being shown at Dublin, doing a number of things -he had been taught, a little boy, full of mischief but not of sense, -was doing everything he could to annoy the great beast. The elephant -gave no sign of taking notice, but it saw all that was passing, and -when the boy came near enough thrust out its trunk and snatched his hat -from his head. Then it turned half round, snorted loudly, and acted its -part so well that all who were there thought it had swallowed the hat. - -The imp of mischief stood scratching his head and looking very blank, -while the great animal appeared as if he enjoyed the joke highly. By -the twinkle in his eyes he seemed to be laughing inwardly. In the end -he drew the missing cap from his mouth and flung it into the boy's face -with such an air of fun-making that all present broke into a loud roar -of laughter. - -One would not think of such a huge brute playing tricks, but the -elephant is fond of a joke and seems to enjoy it as much as one of us -would. Elephants will raise latches, open doors, and show a fondness -for mischief in other ways. They will also steal and hide their theft -if the chance offers. An American showman saw one of them pull up the -stake to which he was chained, go to an oat-bin, wrench off the lock, -raise the lid, and eat all he wanted. Then he put down the lid again, -went back to his place, poked the stake into the same hole, and stamped -it down with his foot. - -When his keeper came the cunning brute looked as innocent as a lamb. -The keeper raged and stormed on finding that he had been robbed, while -the big thief stood quietly by, with an odd twinkle in its little eyes. - -Here is another story of the same kind. "An elephant in India was -chained to a tree, and his driver made an oven at a short distance in -which he put his rice-cakes to bake, and then covered them with stones -and grass and went away. When he was gone the elephant unfastened with -his trunk the chain round his foot, went to the oven and uncovered it, -took out and ate the cakes, re-covered the oven with the grass and -stones as before, and went back to his place. - -"He could not fasten the chain again round his own foot, so he twisted -it round and round it in order to look the same, and when the driver -returned the elephant was standing with his back to the oven. The -driver went to his cakes, discovered the theft, and, looking round, -caught the elephant's eye as he looked back over his shoulder out of -the corner of it. Instantly he detected the culprit and punishment -followed. The whole affair was seen from the windows by the family." - -No other animal has a weapon that can compare with the trunk of the -elephant. With this long and flexible nose he can tear off great limbs -from trees, and with the same trunk can be taught to pick up a pin. But -great and strong as he is, the elephant is very nervous. He is ready -to fight a tiger, yet mosquitoes disturb him very much and we are told -that he is as much afraid of a mouse as any nervous girl, and will -trumpet with terror if one comes near him. - -Elephants like bright colors and sweet perfumes, they are very dainty -in their tastes, and are as fond of bathing as any one of us could -be. They dearly love to revel in the water, and an elephant bath is -something worth seeing. It is wonderful what tricks they can be taught -and how neatly they will go through with them. - -In circuses and menageries the tricks of trained elephants are things -people like to see. Most of us have seen how these animals, clumsy as -they look, can balance themselves on tubs, stand on their hind legs -like a poodle, with their fore-feet in the air, and do many other -tricks, such as standing on their heads, with their hind feet raised. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - A State Elephant of India with Howdah] - -Baby-elephants also can be taught to play many tricks, such as to sit -at table, use the fan, and the like. We are told of two of them named -Jock and Jenny, that would come in, bow to the audience, mount on a -plank, and see-saw like a couple of children. One of them would then -walk on the tops of a double row of bottles. They would also play on an -organ and drum, dance to the sound of bells, and do other clever tricks. - -If we seek elephant stories of another kind there are a number of -cases in which the animals have been hurt and borne surgical treatment -with great patience. There is a case where one went blind through some -disease in its eyes. Nitrate of silver was applied to one eye and -caused so great a pain that the animal roared wildly. But the treatment -did the eyes so much good that when the doctor came the next day to -try it on the other eye, the animal lay down, placed his head quietly -to one side, and drew in his breath as we would do when expecting to -be hurt. When it was over he gave a sigh of relief, and showed how -grateful he was by movements of his trunk. - -This is one out of various tales of this kind that could be told. The -elephant here learned by the good done to one eye that he was going to -be helped with the other, and made up his mind to bear the pain for the -good it would bring him. - -Not many animals can learn things without being taught, but the -elephant can. One thing a tamed elephant is taught to do is to pick up -things from the ground and hand them to the driver on his shoulders. At -first he is made to pick up only soft articles, for he is apt to throw -them up with force and might hurt the man above. - -After a time the animal gets to notice the difference between soft -things and hard things. A bundle of clothes may still be thrown up with -force, but a hard and heavy thing, such as a piece of iron chain, will -be handed up gently. The wise creature learns in time to pick up a -sharp knife by its handle and lay it on his head so that the driver can -also take it up by the handle, and when made to pick up things it has -never seen before it shows that it knows how to deal with them. - -We might go on and give many other examples of the mental powers of the -elephant, but enough have been given to show that this great creature -is one of the most sensible of all beasts and is as quick at learning -the best way to do things as any others of the animal tribe. And it can -think out things for itself, which shows finer thought than to have -them taught it by others. - - - - - [Illustration] - - IV - - ANIMALS USED FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING - - -When we think of the many things man does with the animals he has -tamed, the first that comes into our minds is their use in hunting and -as house guards and pets. But we must not forget how useful they are as -workers, in the fields and in the roads, in war and in peace. For long -ages they were the only helpers that men had in work and travel. Only -within our own times have we found out how to put the forces of nature -at work for us and how much stronger those are than any animals. The -animals kept by us have one value for which the forces of nature can -never serve. That is their value for food. While we can use the power -of the winds and of coal and iron in doing work, we cannot feed upon -these or anything of this kind. To live we must have food, and this -we can get only from the world of plants and animals. We also use the -skins and furs of animals for clothing, and weave warm cloths out of -their wool and hair. These are the things I now propose to talk about. - - - THE CATTLE OF THE FIELD - -Is there anything that adds more to the beauty of a scene in the -country than the grazing cows that give life to the fields, now -cropping the grass, now resting under the shade of the trees, now -wading in cool streams, now lying in midday rest? They are so mild and -gentle, and look at us so quietly out of their big, kindly eyes that we -cannot help keeping a soft spot for them in our hearts. - - [Illustration: Making Friends with a Guernsey Calf] - -They wear horns, but they do not use them, and we can walk through a -herd of these large animals as safely as through a grove of trees; that -is, if they are all cows, if there is not a bull among them. The bull, -the male form of the cattle tribe, is a creature we must watch. If he -happens to be cross and bad-tempered, as is often the case, he is not -safe to trust. It is certainly not wise to wear a red coat or hat in -a field where a bull is kept, for he seems to look on this color as a -challenge to battle. To have to run from a bull is no fun, at least not -if he gets close enough to help you over a fence with his horns. - -But we seldom see a savage cow. These are quiet, dull animals, that -have no thought of anything but to crop the grass and flick off the -flies from their skin with their waving tails. They do not have to take -care of themselves. Their masters and mistresses take care of them, so -they have nothing to do or think of but to grow fat and yield milk. - -There are wild cattle in various parts of the earth, and these have to -take care of themselves, but the cattle of our fields have been kept -tame so long that it is hard to tell from what wild species they came. -We know that they were kept by the people of Egypt and China thousands -of years ago, and that the Egyptians had certain bulls which they -worshiped as gods. The bull and the cow are sacred animals in India and -are never killed for food by the Hindu people. - -In modern times the cow has been kept chiefly for the milk she gives. -She is also kept as a food animal, but is not made to work, like the -bull and the ox. The animal that is killed for food is a large, -well-fed beast, with straight back and well developed body. As for the -bull, its savage nature is made use of in the bull-fights of Spain and -it is also used in the "bull-races" of the South of France. - -Cows, as well as bulls and oxen, have two horns on their head. In some -breeds these are very long and powerful, but there are others that have -no horns and in fighting use their heads to butt with. In this way they -can give a powerful blow. With his head, his horns and his hoofs an -angry bull is an animal that it is best to keep away from. - -Cattle are of many colors and it is this which gives beauty to many of -them. Among them we find such colors as black, white, yellow, brown, -fawn, reddish brown, black-spotted and other hues, this variety of -colors giving new beauty to a herd of grazing cows. It is a pretty -sight to see them strolling up the leafy lane in the evening to the -milking shed, with a boy and a dog to keep them moving. - - - MILK-GIVING COWS - -There are a number of animals from which men get milk, but chief of -all these is the cow. Those are breeds of cows which are kept only for -milk-giving and which have been brought to yield so much and such rich -milk as to make them of great value. In all history we read of the -milkmaid, the girl whose duty it is to milk the cows, one of the chief -duties on a farm. Nowadays we do not hear so much about the milkmaid. -She has for the most part gone out of business. - -No doubt, many of my young friends have seen how milking is done, the -cow with its full udders, the white stream of milk which flows from -the teats when pressed, and the large quantity of this rich fluid -which some cows will give. Perhaps some of you may have tried the art -yourselves, but it is an art that needs to be learned, and many cows -will not yield their milk to awkward fingers. Some of them, indeed, -when they do not like the milker, will kick over the full bucket and -now and then the milker with it. - -In some way the cow turns part of the grass she eats into this rich -fluid, so useful to mankind, not only as a drink, but for the butter -and cheese it yields. Nature provides milk to all animals of the class -known as mammals as food for their young, but by long usage the cow -has been brought to give milk at all times and thus helps to feed her -keepers as well as her calves. - -I hardly need tell you that milk is a white fluid in which float small -globes of fat. This fat is the butter of which we make so much use. -If the milk is let stand, the butter floats to the top and is skimmed -off in a rich fluid we call cream. By various modes of churning the -butter is got out of the cream, leaving a thin liquid behind called -buttermilk. - -Butter is not the only thing got from milk. Cheese is another product -of much use. It is made from the solid parts of the milk. When an -acid, or a substance called rennet, which is obtained from the calf's -stomach, is put into the milk, the solids come together in a soft, -white jelly, leaving a greenish, watery liquid called whey. It is from -this jelly, or curd, that cheese is made by pressing out the whey and -leaving a hard, solid mass. There are many ways of making cheese and -many different kinds of cheese, often so unlike that we can scarcely -think they came from the same source. - - [Illustration: Back to the Pasture After the Milking] - -Now let me say something about the various breeds of milk-giving or -dairy cows. They differ very much. Some give a great deal of milk; some -much less. There are cows that have given as much as twenty-four quarts -of milk a day. Think of six gallons from one cow in one day, enough to -fill a vessel of large size! Others may give only ten quarts or even -less. - -But the cow that gives the most milk does not always give the best, -for there is great difference in the richness of milk. Thus the best -butter makers may not be those that fill the fullest pail. The quantity -of milk depends on the food eaten, the kind and plenty of grass in the -fields or hay in the stables. But the amount of butter in it seems to -come from something in the animal herself. - -You have often heard, and perhaps often seen, the different breeds of -dairy cows, the Jerseys and others. There are many of these breeds. -The Dutch cattle, those that come from Holland, are mostly good -milk-givers, also those of Holstein and Friesland yield a very full -pail, and there are splendid milk-givers elsewhere. - -All of us must have seen the beautiful cows from the Channel Islands, -near the coast of France, known as Jerseys and Guernseys, often called -Alderneys, now so common in our fields and which give such rich milk, -from which splendid butter is made. We may also speak of the Ayrshire -cow of Scotland, which is of high value to the cheese-maker. All these -and other cows have been brought in numbers to this country, which has -no good breeds of its own. - -Did any of my readers ever try to churn cream into butter? Those who -have done so did not find it very easy work. To lift a long rod up and -down or turn a handle till your arms feel ready to drop off is never -the best of fun. In past times all butter-making had to be done in this -way, with some sort of churn, but now in large dairies a small engine -is used to do the work. In our days great part of the butter is made in -creameries to which the farmers take their milk. Here the cream from -600 or 800 cows may be dealt with by one skilful butter-maker, who -handles it with great care, so that we get a better quality of butter -than was of old made on most of the farms. - - [Illustration: - - From Davis's Practical Farming - - The Holstein Cow, a Great Milk Giver] - -This way of getting the butter from the cream was started in the -United States, where now there are thousands of creameries in the many -states. From this country it has spread to many parts of Europe, but -there most of the butter is still made on the farm. Cheese is also made -in the same wholesale way and American cheese is sold in many parts of -the world. - -We use here so much milk and butter that it is not easy for us to see -how people anywhere can do without it. Yet there are parts of the world -where cow's milk is not used. Thus if one should go to China he would -find the people making no use of the milk of their cows. And in India -the milk of the buffalo is liked better than that of the cow. Even in -parts of Europe little use is made of milk and butter. This is the -case in Italy, where olive oil takes the place of butter. But almost -everywhere, except in India, much use is made of cattle for food, and -of this something must now be said. - - - BEEF-MAKING CATTLE - -In the United States the raising of cattle for meat is a great -business. For years past this country has fed its own people and helped -to feed those of Europe. The meat of cattle killed in Chicago and other -cities is sold in the markets of London and other parts of England and -the people of that country have long been growing fat on American beef. -This is not so much the case in Germany, France, and Russia, for great -numbers of cattle are raised there, but at times we could find the -beef of our country on the tables of most of these lands. - -When the white man went to America he found no cattle there. But it was -not long before there were plenty of them, brought from Spain, France, -England and other countries. These spread all over the continent until -there were cattle everywhere. But these were not the best of cattle. -There were no fine breeds raised here as in Europe. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - Ox Team and Native Cart, with Wooden Wheels, Nicaragua] - -This is the reason why so many Jersey, Ayrshire, Dutch and other fine -milk-givers have been brought here from Europe. Meat-making cattle have -also been brought, those known as Shorthorns, Herefords, and others, -and now we can find in our fields great numbers of fine, fat animals, -which are taking the place of the old poor stock. - -Good beef cattle are large and square in shape, full and broad over the -back, with thick legs, short necks, and well rounded bodies. The eye -is bright, the face short, the skin soft, the flesh mellow and rich. - -Cattle of this kind are to be seen now in numbers in our fields. But -the great cattle-raising sections of this country are the broad grassy -plains of the West and the vast fields of Texas. Here may be seen the -great ranges, where for long years past cattle have been kept by the -millions, roaming about, feeding on the rich grass, and growing fat and -juicy. - -Here also is the home of the cowboy, the man who lives on the horse and -rides as if horse and man were one animal. His duty it is to ride among -the great herds, keep them in order, stop them when they run away in -mad fright, and live among them as the sheep-dog lives among the sheep. -Brave fellows and splendid riders are these cowboys, among the best in -the world. - -If you should go west to-day you would not find the open cattle range -of the past. The cattle-owners have found it best to fence in their -ground, and wire fences may now be seen all over that once open -country. But the fields thus made are very large and the cowboy still -finds plenty to keep him busy. - -If we seek other parts of the world we shall find cattle-ranges like -those of the United States. In South America there are two great -regions of this kind. One of these is in Venezuela. Here are great -open plains called llanos, covered with rich, thick grass on which -millions of cattle feed. The same is the case with the pampas of -Argentina, vast prairies over which cattle roam in countless numbers. - -On those great plains dwell the brothers of the cowboy, daring riders -whose lives are spent in the care of the grazing herds. The Gauchos, as -the cattlemen of Argentina are called, are not the sons of civilized -fathers like our cowboys. They are a race by themselves, bold and -hardy, but ignorant, many of them part Indian. But they are born and -bred to the saddle and no riders can surpass them in handling their -swift horses. - -Of the other countries where great herds of cattle are to be found we -may name South Africa and Russia. Mongolia, in the Asiatic part of -Russia, is a land of vast plains, called steppes. This may have been -the first region in which cattle were kept. As far back as history -goes the herdsmen of this great region have been roaming about with -their cattle, horses and other animals, living in tents, and moving -from place to place seeking new fields of grass when the old ones are -cropped. This was their life thousands of years ago and this is their -life to-day, and they seem no more civilized now than they were then. - -We do not care to talk about the killing of these fat herds. That has -nothing to do with Home-Life, except in so far as we find their meat -on our tables, for the killing is mostly done in great sheds and pens -built for that purpose. It will be enough to say that the animals we -have been talking about are of the greatest use to man. They work for -him, they feed him with their milk and flesh, and after their death -nearly every part of them is of use. From their skins leather is made -and we walk upon their hides in our shoes. From the bones glue and -gelatine are obtained, and when the bones are ground they are used to -fertilize our fields. In fact use is made of nearly all parts of the -animal and hardly a scrap of it goes to waste. - - [Illustration: An Ox-team on a Florida Plantation] - - - IN THE BULL RING - -The bull is not a nice animal to deal with. It is often surly and -savage, and few of us care to be in the same field with it. In some -parts of the world its courage is made use of in a brutal kind of -sport. In former times what was called bull-baiting was very common in -England, and might be to-day only for the laws. A bull was driven into -a closed-in place and dogs were sent in to fight with him. Sometimes, -to make him furious, pepper was blown into his nose before he was set -free. - -At times a dozen or more dogs were sent in at once. At other times the -bull was tied to a stake by a rope of some length, and bulldogs were -set upon him, one at a time. They were trained to seize the fierce -animal by the nose, which was called "pinning the bull." But the -best fun to the lookers-on was when the bull lowered his head to the -ground, caught a dog on his horns and tossed him a long distance away. -Bull-baiting was kept up until 1835, when laws were passed to stop this -cruel sport. - -But bull-fighting, which has long been very common in Spain, is still -kept up in that country. In ancient times fights between bulls and men -were common in Greece and Rome, but in modern times they have been held -only in Spain and its colonies. They may be seen to-day in the cities -of Spain and Mexico. - -As we have a baseball season in this country so they have a bull-fight -season in Spain. In the city of Madrid it lasts from April to November, -there being at least one fight every week. The fights are held in a -kind of circus, with seats for 10,000 or 15,000 people, who have to pay -well to see the brutal game. - -There are three classes of men who take part in a bull-fight. The first -of these are the "picadores." These fight on horseback, each of them -with a lance. If the bull is a coward they crowd upon and kill it. If -it is brave they often have to fight for their own lives. The bull -may lift the poor horse on its horns or may throw the rider, who is -sometimes killed. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - Carting Manila Hemp. Philippine Islands] - -When the picadore is in danger the second class, the "chulos," run in. -They wear bright-colored cloaks and gay ribbons and draw the bull -after them by waving their bright cloaks in his face. When the bull -shows signs of being tired these men throw darts at him which stick -into his neck. Some of these bear fire-crackers, the noise of which -makes the bull furious. - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - Moose in Harness. This is a Rare Use of this Great Deer-like Animal] - -Now the third man comes in, the "matadore." He is on foot and carries -a sword, and in his left hand is a short stick with a piece of red -silk tied to it. When the angry bull sees this red stick he rushes -at it, for he hates anything red. Now the matadore has his chance. -With one quick stroke he thrusts the sword into the animal between the -shoulder-blade and the spine, driving it in to the hilt, and the poor -bull falls dead. - -Then a team of mules, gay with flags and bells, enter and drag out the -dead bull, another is driven in, and the fight begins again. The horses -and bulls are the chief sufferers, it being said that about 2500 bulls -and 3500 horses are killed every year in the bull-fights of Spain. -The horses used are poor creatures, only fit to end their lives in a -bull-fight. - -The people cheer the matadore for his victory; but they are quite as -ready to cheer the bull that has killed his man. But it is a rare -thing for a man to be killed in the fight, usually it is only the poor -animals that suffer. The other nations of Europe and the people of this -country do not like bull-fights. They look on them as cruel and unfit -for civilized times. But the people of Spain love them and will not -give them up. - - - THE WOOL-CLAD SHEEP - -Long, long ago, hundreds of years before men began to write history, -perhaps before they had tamed any other animal, the woolly creature -called the sheep began to share the home-life of man. In the first -pages of the Bible we find its name. Abel, the second son of Adam and -Eve, was a keeper of sheep before he was killed by his brother Cain. -It may have been kept in very early times in all parts of the earth, -for the sheep can live in all climates, from hot to cold, and its meat -and wool are of great use for food and clothing. - -Also it is easily tamed, and in the ages of the past it became so used -to being taken care of that it has long forgotten how to take care of -itself. Thus the sheep that crop the grass in our fields have come to -be stupid animals. But this is not the case with the wild sheep which -are found in various parts of the earth. These are quite able to fight -their own battles and are sharp-witted, like most wild animals. - -It is only the female sheep, the ewe, that is so dull. We all know that -the male sheep, the ram, is much more wide-awake. These often have very -large horns, and the wild ram knows quite well how to take care of -himself and his family. They will run from danger if they have to, but -if cornered can make a very good fight. Even one of our field rams has -at times shown itself a good match for a bull. While much smaller in -size, it is far more active and can hit a very hard blow with its bony -head and big horns. - -Have you ever seen a fighting ram? One of them has been known to throw -a bull to the ground at the first rush. It can fight dogs, too, and -is always ready to defend itself and its flock. Rams also fight one -another, and when two of them come together at full run, their heads -crack like the sound of a musket and their hind parts are lifted -into the air. Many sheep have no horns, and these are not so fond of -fighting, as the horns are a great help to them. - -Men keep sheep for two things, their wool and their meat. The same is -the case with cattle, which are also kept for two things, their milk -and their meat. All over the earth people are fond of mutton, or the -meat of the sheep, while the wool is used wherever warm clothes are -needed. In some cold countries the skin of the sheep, with its woolly -coat, is used as a cloak and is found a warm covering. - -The wool of wild sheep is short and lies below an outside coat of long, -straight hair. But this hair is lost in the tame animals and a coat -of long, thick wool takes its place. Wool, you should know, differs -from hair in having a scaly surface, which causes its fibres to cling -together. This makes it good for twisting into yarn and weaving into -cloth, also for felting, as in the making of felt hats and rugs. - -Of course very many of you have seen the sheep in the field, walking -slowly about all day long, cropping, cropping, cropping, as if eating -were all it lived for. This is the case all over the earth, for sheep -are the most common of our farm animals and are kept in vast multitudes -in various countries. So tame and gentle are they that the shepherd -and his dog can easily keep a large flock in order. He has to guard -them in some countries against wolves and also against sheep-killing -dogs. - - [Illustration: Cattle and Sheep of the Scottish Highlands] - -The sheep is a mountain animal, not a native of the level plains like -the horse and the ox. The wild sheep do not live on level ground but -among the lofty hills and are often found in very high places. We have -one species in our own country, the Big-horn or Rocky Mountain Sheep, -which can climb over the roughest cliffs and plunge down steep places -without hurting itself. There are other species in Asia and Africa, -with the same habits. - -From this we know why tame sheep are so fond of hill climbing and why -they do so well in such rough regions as the Highlands of Scotland. -Young lambs are very fond of climbing every little hill they see. When -feeding, sheep like mountain sides better than they do plains. Here -they nibble away at the short, fine grasses, which they like better -than any other food. - -You may have read of troubles and fights between the shepherds and -cowboys of our western plains. This comes from the close nibbling of -the sheep, which cuts the grass down to its roots and leaves no food -for the cattle. On this account the cattlemen hate the sheep-men and in -some cases kill large flocks of sheep. The sheep are said to do harm -also on the mountain sides, clipping the grass so close with their -sharp teeth that the rains carry away the soil, and leave none for the -trees to take root in. - -There are a number of countries in which sheep are kept in mighty -flocks. These are the United States, Europe, Argentina, Australia and -New Zealand. There are numbers of them also in Asia and Africa and here -there are several queer kinds, which would seem very strange to us. The -oddest of these is the fat-tailed sheep. The tail of this animal grows -to a very great size and has been known to weigh 70 or 80 pounds. It -is a big bunch of fat of which the people of those countries are very -fond. In some cases, to keep it from being hurt by dragging on the -ground, little wagons are used and the sheep go about dragging their -tail behind them in a sort of baby carriage. - -There is another kind with a huge hump of fat on its hind-quarters and -hardly any tail at all. On the other hand the Circassian sheep has a -tail so long that it trails behind on the grass and is covered with -fine, long wool. There is a kind of sheep in Africa with very long legs -and hanging ears, and in several places they have odd kinds of horns. -Those of the sheep of Wallachia make a complete turn and then rise up -from the head to a great length. The Iceland sheep and some of those of -Russia has three, four, and even five horns. - -In Europe sheep have been kept during many centuries and a number of -useful breeds are now to be found in the different countries, some with -fine, thick wool, some with rich, juicy meat. All of the sheep of this -country were brought from Europe, and many of the best breeds are kept -here, among them the Southdown of England, which is of value for its -splendid mutton. - -But nearly the whole of our sheep came from the Merinos of Spain, a -kind of sheep which has been kept in that country from the past ages on -account of its fine, soft wool. The Merino may now be found all over -America and Europe and also in Australia, so that it is the most common -kind of sheep on the earth. The first of them were brought to our -country in 1801 and we have now many millions of their descendants. - -There is much more that could be said about sheep. No meat is more -common on our tables than mutton and in all cold countries woolen -clothing is worn. In Bokhara, a country of Central Asia, is a sheep -which yields the valuable _astrakhan_ fur. This is not taken from the -full-grown sheep, but from the lambs. When very young these bear a -short, fine wool, curled all over them in small locks. To make it curl -better they are sewn up, while very young, in another skin or a piece -of coarse linen. Long hairs soon grow through the wool and to prevent -this the lambs are killed when they are only a few days old. - - [Illustration: The Merino Ram, the Great Wool Bearer] - -There is still another use to which sheep are put. This is the making -of cheese. There is a breed in the south of France which are milked -and from their milk is made the famous Roquefort cheese. In making this -layers of moist bread crumbs, ground to powder, are placed between -layers of the milk curds. This mixture is pressed and salted and then -kept for a month or more in dark mountain caves. There the cheese -ripens and gets the special flavor for which it is liked. - - - WOOL SHEARING AND WEAVING - -Sheep are of value for various things: their meat, which so many like; -their skins, from which parchment and fine leather are made; their -bones, used in making buttons; their fat, for soap and candles; but -most of all their wool, which has long been the most valued product. So -here I must tell the story of this very useful animal fibre. - -Go back as far as we can in history we read of the sheep-shearing. You -may find it spoken of in the early parts of the Bible as a time of -feasting and merry-making. In many countries it is a festival time. -In past ages people seem to have cared more for the wool than for the -meat, though now sheep are kept as much for their mutton as for their -wool. - -In the past the custom was to pull the wool from the sheep at the -molting season. This is the time when the sheep shed their wool and -when it comes out easily. But it is at times a cruel process, as the -skin may come off with the wool. It is still done in Ireland and in -parts of Europe, but the common custom in these days is to cut the -wool with a sort of tool or machine. This cuts the wool in a smooth and -even manner and does not hurt the sheep. It also can be done in much -less time. When in the old way it took half an hour to shear a sheep, -in the new way it can be done in ten minutes or less. - -The sheep should be washed and the wool cleaned before they are sheared -and this is done in our country and in some others. But in many places -it is not done and the fleece is cut with all the grease and sweat in -it. Of course, these fleeces have to be washed by the buyers, and do -not bring so good a price. - -Shall I say something about the uses of wool? In all times it has been -used for making cloth for clothing, and spinning and weaving are very -old duties of the household. If wool is made damp and then pounded it -clings together so as to form a kind of felt, and in our times much -wool is used in this way to make felts for hats, carpets and shoes. - -Felting is a simple process, but in weaving there are many things to -be done. The wool has to be combed out, spun into yarn, and handled in -other ways before it can be woven into cloth and fitted for making into -clothes. - -All this business of yarn-making and weaving is now done in great -factories, fitted with machines, which rattle and roar as they swiftly -change the rough fleeces of wool into smooth sheets of cloth. But all -this work in former times had to be done at home, in a much slower way, -from which there came a rough, coarse cloth called homespun. - -This was the way in use in this country in the times of the colonies. -Many of the old spinning-wheels, by which the wool was spun into yarn, -are still kept and may be seen in museums, and some of the old looms by -which the yarn was woven into cloth are also to be seen. - -It was hard work for the women of the house to make the clothing of -the family in this slow way. A suit of clothes then had to be worn for -a long time, for they took too much labor in the making to be thrown -aside as quickly as they now are. It was in these homespun clothes -that our soldiers won freedom in the Revolution, and they were woven -after that date. But in time the factory came, cloth grew plentiful and -cheap, and the rattle of the old spinning-wheel was no longer heard in -the land. - - - THE BEARDED GOAT - -Now we come to an animal in some ways much like the sheep, but in other -ways very little like it. This is the goat, a more vigorous and hardy -animal. Unlike the sheep, it wears a beard under its chin. It is not -kept much in our country, for it is not well fitted for cold climates, -but likes best the warm airs of Southern Europe and Asia and Northern -Africa. Some of my readers may only know this animal from taking a ride -in a goat carriage when young. Or they may have seen it roaming about -in rough places eating anything it could find, for that is the way with -the goat. It will even eat tobacco and seems to think this a fine diet. - -The wild goat, like the wild sheep, is a dweller in the mountains. It -is still more daring than the sheep. No peaks are too high for it to -climb, and when chased by the hunter it will make long jumps from one -pointed rock to another where no man would dare to follow. No other -animal can equal the goat in climbing and leaping. It is even said -that some kinds of goats will jump down from a high place and save -themselves by falling on their strong horns. But I do not know if -anybody ever saw this done. - -A well-known wild goat is the Ibex of the Alps. This is a splendid -fellow, with long and strong horns but no beard. It used to be very -common, but has been shot at so much that very few are left. The -Chamois of the Alps is an antelope, but is much like the goat, and is -a wonderful jumper. It thinks nothing of leaping over a ravine sixteen -or eighteen feet wide, or over a wall fourteen feet high, or of running -up and down very steep hills. But the hunters have killed most of these -animals also. They think it fine sport to shoot a poor chamois and let -it fall to die in a deep abyss where no one can reach it to get its -body. There are many who do not think this good sport. - -Goats, like sheep, were tamed and made natives of the home and farm -very long ago, no one knows how long. The tame kind comes from the wild -goat of Southern Asia, but it has grown smaller in size and its horns -have become shorter. It was kept in Bible times and by the old Greeks -and Romans. These kept it for its milk and the cheese made from it, and -also for its meat. The flesh of the kid, or young goat, is very good, -but that of the old goat has a strong and unpleasant smell which few -people can endure. - - [Illustration: The Alpine Ibex. Note the Curiously Knobbed Horns] - -In modern times Greece and its islands have more goats than they have -people and there are many in Malta and Corsica, Italy and Spain. They -are not kept largely in the United States, there being about one goat -to every fifty sheep. - -The goat will thrive where the ox and the sheep would starve, as on -rocky hill-sides or thin, poor soil. There is little they will not eat, -though you had best not believe that they are fond of old tin cans or -any diet of this kind. One bad habit they have is to gnaw the young -shoots of trees, of which they are very fond. This makes them deadly -to forests, for no young trees can grow where they are kept. The goat -has done much to kill out the trees on the hills of southern Europe -and Asia and thus to destroy the forests of those regions. It is also -fond of the grape-vine, and on this account, in ancient times, it was -sacrificed to Bacchus, the god of wine. - -The goat is far from being so dull and stupid an animal as the sheep. -It makes friends with its keepers and is a cunning and curious brute, -though too fond of using its horns. This is often done in play, but in -a way that is not very funny, except to those who look on. It will rear -up and pretend to attack you with its head and horns, but this is only -its way to ask you to play with it. The playful pranks of the kid, or -young goat, are often spoken of in poetry. It is a gay little creature, -fond of capering about in an amusing way. - -In fact the goat is not at all stupid and has often shown sense and -cunning. There is a story of a goat that rang a door bell when hungry -for its dinner, by hooking its horn in the wire. Another story is of -two goats that came face to face on a narrow ridge in the rocks. There -was no room to pass and after looking at each other for some minutes -one of them lay down and let the other walk over its body. Two men -could not have done better than that. The long-eared Syrian goat is -trained to do all sorts of tricks. One of these is to balance itself -on a pile of small wooden blocks built up to a height of several feet. -Fancy a sheep doing this! - - [Illustration: Milk Goats in the Alps] - -If it be asked what are goats kept for, the answer would be, chiefly -for their milk. Goats' milk is very rich and is easy to digest and this -makes it of much use for sick or feeble persons, to whom cows' milk is -at times dangerous. It is very good for consumptive people. In parts of -Europe it is thought that certain diseases of horses and cattle will -not come when goats are with them, so they are often kept in stables -and cow-barns to ward off disease. - -Though the goat is a small animal it gives a large quantity of milk, -often from four to six quarts a day and sometimes more than this. There -are cases where twelve quarts a day have been given. The milk is apt to -have a bitter taste and an unpleasant odor, but that comes from the way -the animals are fed and kept. With good care and food, the milk will -lose this taste. The goats of Syria and Palestine give sweet milk and -goats' milk is much used in that part of the world, as it was in the -old Bible times. The Arabs have a great dislike for cows' milk. - -The milk of the Syrian goats is also very good for making butter and -cheese, which are said to be of very fine quality. Much butter and -cheese are also made in Europe from goats' milk. These have a special -taste of their own, but are much eaten, for one soon gets used to the -taste. - -Goats are made use of for other things than for their milk, butter, -cheese and meat. In early times the goat-skin was used for clothing, -and it still is in some countries. The skins are also used by the -wandering tribes of Asia as vessels to hold drinking water, and also, -tightly sewed and blown out with air, as a sort of boat for crossing or -floating down rivers. - -In our days the skins of goats are made into leather. Kid skins are -used for gloves and shoes, and goat skins for morocco, shagreen, and -other fine kinds of leather. The hair is made into ropes which may be -kept in the water without injury; also in England to make wigs for -judges and others, the hair of white goats being used for this. Goats' -hair is also used to make brushes and hats. Knife-handles and other -things are made from the horns, and the fat is better than that of the -ox for candles. - - [Illustration: A Pair of Angora Goats] - -I must now speak of two kinds of goats of use for their wool. One of -these is the Cashmere goat, from the wool of which the fine cashmere -shawls are made. This goat has a coat of long, stiff hair, but under -this is a very fine, soft, fleecy wool, white or gray in color. Of this -each goat yields from one to one and a half pounds. To make a shawl a -yard long, takes the wool of twenty to twenty-five goats. They were -formerly made in large numbers but in our days few of them are to be -seen. - -The other wool-yielder is the Angora goat, well known in this country. -This yields a thick and fine wool, soft and silky and slightly curled. -The color is mostly snow-white, though at times there are dark patches. -It is shed in great locks in summer, but soon grows again. During the -hot weather the goats are constantly washed and combed, to add to the -beauty of their wool. The finest Angora wool, called Mohair, comes from -goats a year old. All its value is lost at six years of age. - - - IN THE PIG-STY - -Let us now take a glance at that grunting brute known to us by the -various names of pig, hog, and swine, which dwells in the pig-sty when -tame and in the forest when wild. Clad in bristles, with thick skin, -short legs, curled-up tail, no neck, and round snout, no one would buy -the pig for a beauty. But in his case use goes ahead of beauty, and who -will say that he is not of use? - -Though the pig is a very docile brute in man's care, he is far from -mild and gentle in his wild state. In fact, the wild hog is not an -animal to be played with, nor is it a safe one to fight with. Hardy and -active, fierce and bold as a lion, with a strong head and long, sharp -tusks in his large jaw, the hunter who goes out to seek him in his -lair must do so with care and skill or the pig will get the best of the -hunt. - -Most of the beasts of the wildwood let the hog alone. He is not safe -game. But for many long years he has been hunted by man, who likes a -game that has a spice of danger. In the days of old Rome the chase of -the hog was a favorite sport, and it was the same in later times, when -the lords and dukes of England and Germany were very fond of hunting -the wild boar. In our days "pig-sticking" is a common sport of the -English in India. - -Mounted on trained horses and armed with long, sharp lances, the -hunters seek to bring down their game from the saddle. But if by any -foul chance the hunter should be thrown from his horse near the hunted -brute his chance for life is not good. The furious brute will rush upon -him, and with one thrust of its strong jaws may rip his body open with -a deadly wound. Great nobles and warriors have met with death in this -base way and the wild hog has held his own bravely among his enemies. - -Is this fierce fighter of the forest the same animal as the lazy -grunter of the pig-sty? There is no doubt of it. His long life under -man's care has taken all the fight out of him. Only in one way does he -show his old temper. He is the most obstinate of all the animals we -know. He does not like to be driven and will do his best to go just -where you do not want him to. But he no longer fights to win his way; -he only grunts or squeals and holds back. - - [Illustration - - From Madeira's "Hunting in British East Africa" - - The Wart Hog. An African Tusked Cousin of the Wild Boar of Europe] - -Try to drive a pig and you will find this out. You will soon be in a -fret over the stubborn brute. If you want him to go forward you may -find it best to try and drive him backward. An Irishman tells us that -this is the only way to "persuade" a pig. - -It takes a Chinaman to make little piggy go the right way, and this is -done by putting him in a basket and carrying him. Two men carry this -basket, hung on a pole. It is a sort of cradle in which piggy goes to -market. The only time the pig can show his obstinate temper is when -he is asked to go into the cradle. He holds back, as usual, but the -cunning Chinaman knows what to do. He takes hold of the pig's tail and -gives it a hard pull as if trying to drag him backward and the stubborn -brute at once rushes forward into his cradle. - -The pig will eat almost anything. By nature he is a plant feeder and -in his wild state will roam the forest feeding on plants, fruits, and -roots of all kinds. His hard snout helps him to dig into the ground -in search of favorite roots and his keen sense of smell aids him in -finding them. Thus he likes wet, shady places where the ground is soft -and such plants grow. - -In France and Italy the pig is trained to hunt for truffles, a kind of -fungus which grows under ground and which makes good eating. He finds -the truffles by his sense of smell and roots them up with his snout. -In some places dogs are trained to do the same. The truffle found, the -pig's master rescues it for his own table. - -Pigs are fond of mast, the name given to the acorns and beech nuts that -cover the ground in the nutting season in oak and beech woods. In -ancient times it was the common practice to fatten the pigs on these -nuts in the proper season. - -A hungry pig is not particular about his food. If no plants are to be -had he will feed on worms, snakes, and small animals of any kind. Pigs -in the pen are often fed on animal refuse, all sorts of kitchen slops -being poured into their troughs. They will swallow this stuff greedily -enough, but it is not good for them, or at least for those who eat -their flesh, for this loses in flavor and is not so wholesome as when -they are fed on good vegetable food. - -Corn and clover are two of the things the pig likes best. Turn him -out into a clover field and he will have a joyful time of his own in -this rich food and put plenty of good fat on his ribs. He does no harm -to the field if not left there too long and it does good to him. In -fattening pigs corn is freely given. It is not best to give corn alone, -but it makes a good dessert after he has had the run of the pasture or -clover field, and is the best fattener when he is being put in order -for the market. - -In visiting a farm the pig-pen is one of the things we are shown. It is -not a pleasant place for a morning call, for the smell is not a sweet -perfume and the mire in which the pig rolls is not nice. We are apt to -go away with the feeling that this animal is a dirty brute. - -This is giving poor piggy a bad name which he does not deserve. It is -his owner more than himself that is to blame. If he had his own way he -would be clean enough. Like all thick-skinned animals the pig loves to -wallow in the mire and cover himself with mud to protect him against -insects. But left to himself he will keep his sleeping place clean. -Those who know how to keep pigs soon learn this and supply the animals -with dry and clean places to sleep in. - - [Illustration: A Fat Berkshire Hog. A Monarch of the Sty] - -Pork, or the flesh of the pig, has long been used as meat. In some -places so much is thought of it that the animal is held to be sacred. -It is the chief flesh food in the South Sea islands, where the animal -was long made a precious sacrifice to the deities. This was also the -case in ancient Greece, and on the island of Crete the hog was a sacred -animal. - -No people have ever been fonder of hog meat than the ancient Romans, -and we are told of strange ways by which they gave it a fine flavor. -They fed their pigs with old, dried figs, drenched with wine and honey. -This was to make their livers grow large, pig's liver being a choice -Roman dish. - -In cooking the meat they would often serve a pig whole, one side being -boiled and the other side roasted. In dressing the animal for the -tables of the emperors and of rich Romans they would stuff it with such -delicate food as larks and nightingales and serve it with wine and rich -gravies. To eat pork in such ways would seem very odd in our days. - -In many countries pork is the favorite meat. We find it so in Germany -and France. In Ireland every peasant raises his pig, which makes its -home in the same hut with him and thinks itself one of the family. In -the end the man often has to sell his pig to help him out of debt, and -looks on the porker as "the gintleman that pays the rent." - -But the pig is not eaten all over the world. The Jews and Mohammedans -will not eat it, and look upon it as an unclean animal. As there are -nearly two hundred millions of these people on the earth, there are -at least that many who do not eat pork. But aside from these, pork is -eaten by the great mass of the people of the earth. - -The pig is not an American animal. All our pigs, and they are many -millions in number, came from animals brought from Europe. We have -here the peccary, a kind of little pig, very savage and dangerous, as -it goes in herds and attacks every man or other animal it meets. But -it has never been tamed, and we owe our pigs to the Spanish and other -discoverers. - -Our swine have grown mighty in numbers, and we pay the Old World for -its gift of the pig by sending it back every year many millions of -dollars' worth of pork, bacon, hams, lard, and other pig products. The -best foreign breeds have been brought here and other breeds have been -produced here, so that the American pig is hard to beat. This country -is the great corn country of the world and great part of its corn is -fed to the pigs of the West, so that we sell much of our corn in Europe -in the form of pork. - -Of the many breeds of pigs, that of China is one of the best. The -Chinese are as kind to their pigs as the Irish and they have an animal -worth being good to, one that has been sent abroad to many other -countries. It is noted for its small size, fine head and snout, large -hams and shoulders, compact body, fine bone, hair and skin and sweet, -delicate meat. We have it in some of the best American breeds. - -If it be asked what the pig is used for, we should say that there is no -part of it that is not used for some purpose. We eat it under the names -of pork, bacon, ham and lard; its skin is made into leather, which -is much used for saddles; the bristles are used for brush-making. -In fact, when we think of all its uses, there is little left but the -squeal and in our days even that may be used in the phonograph. - - [Illustration: The Razor-back Hog of the South. Compare this lean - Beast with the Fat Berkshire Hog given above] - -We might look upon the pig as a stupid animal, that lives only to eat -and to be eaten, but this is not the case. It is in fact, a rather -smart fellow in its way and can be taught to do many tricks. If you -have ever seen what are called "learned pigs" you will agree with this. - -The pig can do tricks without being taught. We have told how cats and -some other animals can open latches and gate pegs. This the pig can -do as well as any of them. We are told of one pig that was taught to -point game like a pointer dog, and did this so well that she was more -useful than a dog. - - [Illustration: Animals of the Farm and Poultry Yard] - -Here is a good pig story. A gentleman named Stephen Harding says:--"I -saw an intelligent sow-pig about twelve months old running in an -orchard, going to a young apple tree and shaking it, pricking up her -ears at the same time as if to listen to hear the apples fall. She then -picked the apples up and ate them. After they were all down she shook -the tree again and listened, but as there were no more to fall she went -away." That might not be very smart in a boy, but it is smart in a pig. - - - - - [Illustration] - - V - - THE BIRDS OF THE POULTRY YARD - - -We have had a long talk about the four-legged home-folks, those -animals, big and little, that aid man in hunting, amuse him as house -pets, carry him on his journeys, pull his carts and wagons, supply him -with milk, butter and cheese, and yield him food for the table, wool -for clothing, skins for leather, and other things for other uses. - -This is a long list of the good that man gets from the animals he -tames and feeds. But it is not the whole. There is another class of -animals, two-legged ones this time, with claws instead of hoofs, horny -beaks instead of mouths, feathers instead of hair, and wings in place -of fore-legs. These are the birds of the poultry yard and the lawn, -some of them kept for their eggs, some for their flesh, some for the -splendor of their plumage; some of them very useful, others very -beautiful. - -I am sure that you will enjoy a talk about these winged and feathered -creatures. They belong more closely to the home-life of all people than -some of our four-legged friends and helpers, as they are kept close to -the house and fed by its people, not left to feed themselves in the -fields. Best known and most useful among these is the hen or chicken, -our clucking friend of the poultry-yard, who fills our pantries with -eggs and is served on our tables as one of the best liked foods. - - - THE HEN AND ITS BROOD - -The city, we know, is a hotbed of noises, sounds of all sorts troubling -our ears by day and night. We try at times to get rid of them, but -find that not easy to do. The best thing for us is to get used to them -and learn to sleep in spite of them. We need to become like Jock the -miller, who got so used to the roar and clang of his mill that he could -not sleep when it was still. - -Some city people find it so hard to get used to the noises of the night -that they go to the country for a quiet sleep. Do they find it? They -may in still winter nights, but in the summer season the country has -noises of its own. As soon as night falls a host of wood insects begin -their endless drone. Then there is the locust and the katydid, with -their shrill calls, and perhaps the whip-poor-will, with its mournful -cry. - -Falling to sleep at last, after these sounds have lost their force, no -sooner are the first faint rays of light sent from the east, at three -or four o'clock in the morning, than a new sound invades the ear and -wakens the sleeper with a sudden start. - -This is the early waking cock, with his loud "cock-a-doodle-doo." -Standing on his own fortress he sounds his shrill alarm. A dozen more, -near and far, from all points of the compass, take up the tune. The air -is soon full of this strident cock-crow, the signal of the coming of -the sun, until all hope of sleep is at an end, and the pilgrim wishes -himself well back in his city bed. He finds the country not such a -sweet sleep-producer as he hoped. - - [Illustration: Feeding the Chickens in the Farm-yard] - -In old times people held the cock to be a sacred animal, the herald -of the dawn, the symbol of light and the sun. In later times it was -held to be the wide-awake sentry of the coming day. There are places -where its image is mounted on church steeples on guard over the winds. -Everywhere it is the emblem of vigilance, and this is what the city -sleeper in country beds finds it. - -With its stately attitude, its erect head crowned with feathers like -an Indian chief, its showy spread of tail, and its air of pride and -dignity, our cock strides about as the lord of the farm-yard and peals -out his loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" like a challenge to battle. And he is -usually quite ready for battle if any rival cock takes up his challenge. - -While the cock thus blows his trumpet blast, the hen finds other work -to do. Her business is to lay eggs, hatch out her brood of funny little -chicks, lead them about the poultry yard in search of worms and other -food, and gather them fussily under her wings when a hawk is seen in -the sky or any danger appears. - -Mrs. Hen does not have the ear-splitting voice of Mr. Cock, but she -has a language of her own. There are only a few words in it but each -of them has a meaning. There is the proud cackle with which she tells -the world that she has laid an egg, the lively chuckle with which she -brings her brood to a feast of worms, and the quick cry of danger which -sets them running to the fortress of her wings. Her brood know what all -these chickenwords mean, and it is for their ears they are spoken. - -The hen is not as handsome a bird as some other inmates of the poultry -yard, but if we look over all our stock of these birds we will find -some very good-looking ones, these for their showy colors, those for -their fine shape. - -Among those that are kept more for ornament than use are the great -Cochin China fowls, stately birds, giants of their kind, of lordly -bearing and fine coloring. They do not lay many eggs and those they do -lay are small. Also they are not very good to eat. But they win respect -through their size and beauty and thus are kept by many as birds of -show. - -Another family of giant fowls are the Brahmas. They are smaller than -the Cochin Chinas, but are as handsome, and along with this they lay -many and large eggs and their flesh is very good. So these are kept not -only as birds of show but birds of use. - -When we come down to hens of smaller size we find a number of breeds, -not less than forty in all, dwelling in various parts of the world and -many of than good in various ways. Like nearly all our home animals, -America is not the native place of the hen. Neither is Europe, for it -came from Asia, that great continent in which so many animals were -first born. But the hen tribe has spread all over the earth, the -chicken is a household treasure almost from the north pole to the -south, and we can hardly find a country home in any land without its -crowing cock and its clucking hen. - -While not native to America, it makes itself very much at home there -and the United States has some excellent breeds of its own, of which we -may be proud. These are the Plymouth Rocks and the Wyandottes, which -have been called the national fowls of America and which can hold their -own with the best breeds of Europe. While we have brought a number of -fine breeds from foreign lands, we have sent these two abroad, and they -have won high praise both for beauty and usefulness. - -The Wyandottes are of various colors, the white being best liked; -others are of silver, golden, speckled, black, and partridge-color. -They are splendid egg layers, filling the yearly basket with from a -hundred and fifty to two hundred eggs. - -The Plymouth Rock may be speckled, light yellow, or white, and it bears -a strong resemblance to the Wyandotte, except that the latter has a -double comb on its head while the former has a single one. - -As the cow is kept for its meat and its milk, and the sheep for its -meat and its wool, so is the hen kept for two purposes, its flesh and -its eggs. Some kinds are bred for the table and they are of great value -in our food-supply. Everybody likes a dish of chicken meat, which is -fine in flavor, easy of digestion, and very good for the weak or sick. - -Other kinds are kept for egg-laying and the egg-harvest of the world -is vast in size. It is the nature of the hen to lay eggs enough for a -brood of chicks, sit on them to keep them warm, and take care of the -brood when it appears until the chicks are old enough to scratch for -their own living. - - [Illustration: English Dorking Cock and Hen] - -But these duties take up much time in which no eggs are laid, and the -farmers who deal in eggs try to prevent the hens from nest-making and -egg-hatching. In this way many hens have been forced to forget what -they were made for and have gone out of the hatching business. These -give all their spare time to egg-laying. Some of them lay more than -two hundred eggs a year. Breeds of this kind are found mostly in the -countries along the Mediterranean. - -The number of chickens kept and of eggs laid in the world is far out of -sight. In the United States alone in 1900 there were nearly 250,000,000 -chickens, and nearly 1,300,000,000 dozen of eggs were laid. This -made three chickens for each man, woman and child in the country and -seventeen dozen of eggs for each. Since then the number has grown much -larger and the annual egg crop of the world, if it could be heaped up -together, would make a pyramid far larger than the largest in Egypt. - - - THE GAME COCK AND ITS BATTLES - -I do not want to say much about cock-fighting, for it is a cruel sport -and leads to the vice of gambling, through which many lose large sums -of money. But the fighting of game-cocks has a history of its own, and -cannot be quite passed over in our story of the hen and its brood. - -The males of all the higher animals are fond of fighting. It is one -of their duties to act as guardians of the family against danger from -outside, while the females look after home affairs. This fighting -temper is very common among animals and men have often made use of -it in getting up battles between animals. We find it in the chicken -family, and cock-fighting has long been enjoyed by sport-loving people. - -While all cocks are ready to fight at times, and the winning cock -struts about the poultry yard like a conqueror, there are special -breeds known as Game-cocks which are always ready for a battle and will -fight till victory or death ends the fray. Game-cocks are classed among -the ornamental poultry, for they are of little use as food and their -hens lay few eggs. Yet they are highly thought of in some countries, a -good fighter is treated as a member of the family, and one that has won -several victories is worth much money to his owner. - -There are two kinds of fighting cocks, large ones and small ones. Some -of the little kind are not larger than pigeons. They are usually known -as Bantams, from the town of Bantam, in Java, though it is more likely -they came from Japan. These little birds, many of them of only a pound -in weight, are heroes of the poultry yard, for a fighting bantam is -more than a match for a common cock five times its size. The bantam has -been spoken of as "a fine example of a great soul in a little body." - -The large game-cocks of Europe come chiefly from France and Belgium, -but good ones may be found in other countries. In fighting, the chief -weapon is the sharp spur on the back of the leg, which they use as a -sort of dagger. It is common to fasten steel spurs, and sometimes even -silver ones, on the leg, and the first blow from one of these may bring -death to an opponent. - -Cock-fighting is a very old form of amusement. It was common among the -Greeks and Romans, and was kept up in England for six centuries. It was -even an annual sport at public schools. Laws have been passed against -it at various times, the last in 1849, but it is still practiced now -and then out of sight of the law officers. The same may be said of the -United States. In these times this sport is most common in India, the -Malay Islands, and the Spanish countries of America, where the people -are very fond of it. - -The training of cocks to fight and getting the bird ready for the -cock-pit is an art in itself. It needs skill to fasten on the spurs. -Two years old is the best fighting age. When a match is made it is -settled how many birds there shall be on each side and they are -carefully weighed, those within an ounce of each other being matched. -These are said to "fall in." Those that do not fall in are set to fight -what are called "byes." In a Welsh main the cocks fight until only one -is left alive. They are like the famous "Kilkenny cats." - -If we should seek a country where cock-fighting may take place under -the laws, the nearest to us is in the isle of Cuba. In the cities of -that island the cock-pit is as popular as the circus is with us. It is -a circular space, with seats around filled with lookers-on and bettors, -for much money is lost and won in one of these fights. The birds are of -a native breed, and are said to be very brave and bold. - -In a country under our own rule, the Philippine Islands, cock-fighting -is one of the best liked forms of sport. To take this from the Filipino -would be worse than robbing him of his freedom. Sundays and feast-days -are the times for cock-fighting, and on these dates the cock-pit is -sure to be crowded. When a feast-day arrives, after the siesta, which -comes in the hot hours of the afternoon, crowds of natives may be seen -going to the large bamboo building where the fight is to take place, -many of them with fighting cocks under their arms. A sharp steel spur, -two inches or more in length, is tied to the left leg of each, as an -aid to the spurs given the cock by nature. - -These cocks are the great treasures of the natives. The bird is often -more to its owner than his children. He fondly caresses it, and it -eats, crows, and sleeps in his arms. But it is apt to become a nuisance -to the traveller, for he often has to spend the night in the same room -with the family cock, and as it begins to crow about three o'clock in -the morning all sleep after that hour is at an end. - -Inside the pit two cocks at a time are matched, and when the hour -for the fight is reached dollars begin to rain into the ring, each -bettor laying a stake on his favorite and throwing his money into -the ring. Then come the words _usada_ ("matched,") and _largo_ ("let -go"), and in an instant the two birds are in and at each other, -fighting as fiercely as two bull-pups. The battle is usually short, a -well-directed blow from the steel spur stretching one of them dead on -the ground. - -The name of the winner is now called out and those who have won bets -hurry down into the ring and pick up their own stakes as well as the -sums they have won. This seems a queer method, but the bettors act -honestly. It is safest to do so, for to take more than their due would -likely lead to a knife thrust from these hot-tempered people. Under the -Spanish law fifty dollars was the limit of a bet; but little heed was -paid to this and larger bets were often made. - - - THE WEB-FOOTED DUCK AND GOOSE - -While the hen is not fond of water, the duck and goose could not well -live without it. They are born for swimming, with webs between their -toes that serve as oars. On the land they walk with an ugly waddling -gait, but in the water they are very graceful, and a flock of swimming -ducks or geese is a pretty sight. - -In raising ducks the nature of the bird needs to be kept in mind. Water -is its native element and it will not do well on the land. It cannot -be kept in a coop or an inclosed place like fowls, but give it an open -field, with a running stream, and it will ask nothing more. You will -hardly need to feed it, for it knows well how to feed itself. - -The duck is not a lazy bird. It will eat almost anything, and is -always waddling about picking up snails, grubs, and insects, or sailing -on the water and thrusting its beak into the soft mud for worms. - - [Illustration: Willie and His Pet Ducks] - -If the duck farm is large enough and has a pond or stream, the keeping -of ducks is very easy. They are nearly free from disease and need -little looking after. Some kinds of ducks are very handsome, their -colors being bright and varied. The male of the common duck (known as -a drake) has a splendid plumage in its wild state. The head and upper -neck are of deep emerald green. Lower down is a collar of white, and -the lower neck is of dark chestnut. The wings are of a beautiful deep -blue. - -The tame bird is not nearly so beautiful. It uses its legs instead of -its wings to get about, so that it almost forgets how to fly. This easy -life and plenty of food helps it to grow and fatten, a fact that makes -it better suited to man's use. It has long forgotten how to build a -nest and almost how to sit on its eggs, so that in some places the hen -is used to hatch out the young ducks. To see a hen going about with a -flock of young ducklings looks odd to us, and when the little waddlers -jump into the water and swim away the hen mother seems sadly scared. -She fears that all her pretty ducklings will be drowned. - -When the baby duck gets out of the egg and is ready to begin life it is -shut up for a few days and fed on soft food, such as ground wheat and -barley mixed with hard-boiled egg. After this it is let out into the -field and set free to search for the animal food it needs. In Belgium, -where many ducklings are raised, it is comical to see the breeder -hopping about the field on big wooden shoes, kicking up the earth as he -goes so as to force out the worms for the little strangers to feed on. -It does not take them long to learn how to find food for themselves. - -Of the different kinds of ducks we may name the Rouen of France as a -fine and beautiful bird and a good layer. In England the Aylesbury is -the best, as it grows fast, is very hardy and lays many eggs. The Pekin -duck is much like it and is highly thought of in this country, where -large numbers of white Pekins are raised for market. The duck of India -is new to us but has won its way among duck raisers. It is the best of -its kind as an egg layer, its harvest being over one hundred and fifty -eggs a year. Its flesh is very delicate so that it is much liked for -the table. - -While the duck is not so widely kept as the hen, there are places where -it is raised in large numbers. In the United States there are duck -farms in which as many as twenty thousand birds a year are grown. There -are no farms like this in Europe, though in some countries ducks are -raised in great multitudes. These are not allowed to grow old, being -sent to market when eight to twelve months of age. They pay better when -sold at this age, for after that new feathers begin to grow and buyers -do not want them. - -If we turn now to the Goose, we find it a swimmer like the duck, but -larger in size and with a much longer neck. It belongs to the duck -family, but does not eat animal food like the duck. It gets a good -living off of grass and this makes it cheap and easy to raise. In -Russia, where geese are kept in large numbers, the goose girl leads her -flock every morning to the fields, lets them feed during the day, and -brings them home at night to the village. The goslings are given some -ground grain for a few weeks, and then are left to feed themselves. - - [Illustration: An Assault by Hungry Geese] - -The goose, like the duck, has largely gone out of the business of egg -hatching, turkeys or large fowls being used to sit on the eggs. They -are neither good hatchers nor good layers, the best breeds rarely -giving more than thirty eggs a year. But they are hardy and healthy -and do not die off like young chickens. They can bear cold easily, and -though a shelter is made for them in winter, they always sleep in the -open air in the summer. - -The goose is a strong bird and can strike a hard blow with its wing. -In trying to catch them the keeper must be careful, for they are able -to break his arm with a blow and have done so more than once. But -they are good watchers for the farm. They wake very easily, and if a -stranger comes upon the farm in the night they make noise enough to -arouse the whole household. - -This habit has given the goose a place in history. The Romans of old -kept a number of geese in the temple of Juno on the hill where stood -the Capitol. The goose was sacred to that goddess and it was the custom -to keep a flock in her temples. One night a party of Gauls, who had -laid siege to the city of Rome, found a narrow path up the steep hill -and were almost at the top when the sacred geese heard them and made -so loud a cackling that the garrison woke up and rushed out. Here the -Gauls who had reached the top were flung down the steep hill, stones -were thrown down on those that followed, and the Capitol was saved. - -One of the best known breeds of geese is that of the Giant goose of -Toulouse, usually about sixteen pounds but sometimes twenty-four pounds -in weight. The Embden goose is still larger. The Giant goose of Italy -is the only good layer, and yields about sixty eggs a year. In Germany -and some other countries geese are driven for days along the roads, -in flocks of several hundred. They are not easily tired and are good -travellers, so that this is the cheapest way to get them to market. - -As for the uses to which the goose is put, these are simply for food -and for their feathers and quills, which are plucked several times a -year. The fine, soft feathers are of much value for pillows and beds, -and before the steel pen was invented goose quills were used all over -Europe and America to make into pens. - - [Illustration: Gander Hissing at an Enemy] - -In England the goose is often roasted for the Christmas dinner, as the -turkey is with us, and the gizzards, heads and legs are sold in sets, -under the name of "giblets," to be used for pies. Goose liver has long -been a dainty dish. It is made in Strasburg to grow very large by -keeping the geese in a room at high temperature. In this state it is -sold as a great delicacy under the French name of _pâté de foie gras_ -("pasty of fat liver"). - - - THE TURKEY AND THE GUINEA FOWL - -So far we have had to do with birds and beasts of foreign birth. As -men from abroad have peopled our cities, so animals from abroad have -peopled our fields, and we have not as yet met with one true American -in the list. - -It is lucky that I have a native American to offer you, and one that -is in some ways the finest of all our birds of the farm. This is the -Turkey, the largest of them all and the choicest when roasted and -served upon the table. We may well ask, what would a Christmas dinner -be like without this noble bird to fill the place of honor? - -There are wild turkeys still in our woods, though the bullets of the -hunter have left few of those once found there. These wild birds have -certain odd habits well worth speaking of. Thus the male birds keep -away from the females during a great part of the year, going about in -flocks of from ten to a hundred, and feeding on grain, seeds, fruits, -insects, tadpoles, lizards and such small game. The females go about -singly or in flocks with their young. They take care to keep away from -the old males, which have a bad habit of killing and eating the young. - -Turkeys roost in trees but make their nests on the ground, laying from -ten to twenty eggs before setting. These are much larger than the egg -of the hen. The wild turkeys have small wings and are poor flyers, so -that when they try to cross a river a mile wide many give out and fall -into the water. But they usually manage to swim ashore. - -There are two species of wild turkey in America, one native to the -United States and Mexico and one found in Central America. The latter -is somewhat smaller than our home bird but is finer in color, its -feathers being of a beautiful metallic-green or bronze color, with hues -of black, gold and sky color. The male turkey has a habit much like -that of the peacock. He spreads his large tail upward like a fan, while -his wings are made to trail on the ground. In this way he struts round -and round with great dignity, giving vent at times to a loud "gobble, -gobble," an odd sound of his own. - -The tame animal has the same habits, gobbling and strutting in the same -way. Cared for and fed for the market, it grows to be a large and fat -bird, with plenty of rich, juicy meat upon its bones. It is its size -and the sweetness and delicacy of its flesh which make it a feast-day -favorite. - -The turkey is fond of roaming about and does not like to be confined -to the poultry yard. On a large farm, where there is plenty of room to -wander, the bird will do well and find most of its own food. But the -young birds are delicate and hard to raise and it takes great care to -bring them alive through babyhood. The hot sun hurts them and so do -rain-storms and it is bad for them to get wet by running through long -grass. If they are carefully attended to for their first few weeks of -life and fed on food fitted to their young tastes they can be trusted -afterwards to take good care of themselves. - -While this bird has long been one of the prized tenants of our home -poultry yards, the same is the case in Europe. There is a Mexican -variety, with a whitish tail, which was taken to Europe by the early -Spaniards and has spread widely in that continent, where it is raised -with great care. - -There are few large farms in America and Europe on which these birds -are not kept--not in large numbers like the hen, for they do not take -kindly to home life and need much room to wander, but enough for the -demand. They are first-class hatchers, and will sit on from twenty to -twenty-four eggs. They also take very good care of their flocks and -guard them from harm. - -The turkey, as we all know, is a large bird. It may be had of many -sizes for the Christmas table, from ten or twelve pounds up to -twenty-five or thirty. While much attention is paid to it in this -country, it perhaps gets still more in Europe. In our cities it is a -sad case when a family cannot have a roast turkey for its Christmas -dinner, and in England it is taking the place of the roast goose, -once the favorite. But the goose still holds a pleasant corner in the -British mind. Any of you who have read Dickens's story of Tiny Tim and -Bob Cratchit's Christmas dinner will be sure of this. - -It is a queer fact that, while the turkey is the only American bird -on our farms, it is at the same time the only one that has been given -an old world name. It was early named after the Turks, under a wrong -impression as to its origin, and the name has clung to it. It is quite -as strange that the same must be said of the natives of America, who -were given the name of Indians from the idea of Columbus that it was -the land of India he had found. This name has also clung. - -France is a country well suited to the raising of turkeys, and for -hundreds of years the turkey has been a favorite bird in that land. -Splendid birds are grown there, chief among them being the Solonge -turkey. This is a bird of a brilliant black color, though now and -then it is of white or steel-blue. They grow to be very large, one -having been sent to the poultry shows of 1902 of the great weight of -forty-five pounds. - -This was sent to Spain to be seen and was visited in Madrid by the king -and queen. On its return it took cold and when it got well of this it -was killed by a fellow who did not believe in fat turkeys. The turkey -was revenged, for the murderer spent five months in prison for his -crime. - -In some of the villages of France a woman is paid at the public cost as -a care-keeper of the turkeys. Every morning she gathers her flock in -the village and leads them to the open fields like the goose girl of -Russia. When she comes home at night with her flock she does not need -to pick out those of the different owners. Every bird knows its home -and goes there, never making a mistake. - - [Illustration: Driving Turkeys to Market] - -That is all we need now say about the turkey. The rest may be left -unsaid till the Christmas dinner, when the noble bird lies brown and -steaming on his back in the great platter. Then the carver stands over -him knife in hand and we hear from him the customary question, "Which -will you have, white meat or dark?" To most of us it does not matter -which so that we get a bounteous share. - -The Guinea-fowl, of which we shall speak in passing, must be dealt with -briefly, for it is not largely kept in our home poultry yards, though -much attention is paid to it in some parts of the world. It is one of -the few gifts which Africa has made to our home-life family. - -This bird belongs in the pheasant tribe and is found in Guinea and -South Africa. It also occurs in the north and was much liked by the -ancient Romans. But it is better fitted to warm than to cold climates, -and as the young are apt to die of infant troubles it is not kept in -large numbers in our poultry yards. Yet the bird and its eggs bring -good prices in the market. - -The climate of Jamaica is just right for the Guinea-fowl and in that -island it has made itself at home, taking to the woods and to a wild -life. There it has become fond of feeding on the growing crops and is -hunted and shot like a game bird. - -The special fact about this bird rests in its color, it being prettily -speckled with round white spots on a dark gray color of plumage. There -are several species, the best known being the common guinea, which is -often called "come-back" from its call. In its wild state it gathers in -large flocks and is very shy and hard to get near, while it keeps up -most of the time a harsh cry which Latham compares to a door turning -on rusty hinges or a wheel on an ungreased axle. In the farm-yard it -perches at night in high places and if disturbed rouses up the whole -neighborhood by its ceaseless cry. - -The eggs of the Guinea-fowl are smaller than those of the hen and -rounder in shape. They are of a reddish-white color, and are delicious -eating. Many are laid and the female has the habit of hiding her nest -until the young are hatched out. The flesh tastes like that of the -pheasant, but is rather dry. It was served up at the Roman feasts, and -is much liked now by many persons. - -It may be further said about this bird that it is at times a nuisance -in the poultry yard, for the male guinea has the tendency to attack the -other poultry and act the tyrant over them. Another habit is to scrape -in the ground like a hen. It also loves to roll in the dust and thus -free itself from insects. - - - THE SWAN, AN IMAGE OF GRACE - -Next on our list of home birds is the Swan, one of the most beautiful -and graceful of the whole bird race. When afloat, like a winged boat, -on the still surface of lake or pond, with its snow-white body and -wings and its long, curving neck, it is a thing of beauty which we are -all glad to see and enjoy. - -The swan may still be found wild, but it has long been tamed and kept -as an ornament of lakes and rivers and the broad ponds of country -homes. Here it may be seen gliding softly along, with its white wings -partly lifted, as if to catch the wind, and its neck gracefully bending -as it moves. - -In ancient times the swan was called the Bird of Apollo or of Orpheus, -and was held to have splendid musical powers, singing most sweetly when -it was dying. But this is a fancy of the poets, for the voice of the -tame swan has no music in it, being only a sort of hiss, like that of -the goose. There is a variety of the bird called the Trumpet Swan, but -it is so noisy that few care to keep it. Also in Australia there is a -bird called the Singing Swan, with a voice that might be spoken of as a -kind of song. Some of these have been brought to Europe, but the common -swan has no sort of song, living or dying. - -There is an American species of the swan, which in winter may be seen -flying in flocks as far south as Texas, but this has not been tamed. -There is also a black swan found in Australia, and now to be seen in a -tame state. It is deep black in color, except the main feathers of the -wings, which are white. It is not nearly so pretty as the white swan, -but when black and white are kept in the same pond the contrast is very -fine. - -The black-necked swan of South America is thought by many to be the -most handsome of them all. Its bright white body and black neck make a -pleasing contrast. When tamed this bird keeps to its own part of the -pond, as if too proud to mix with common folks, and will fight them off -if they come too near. - - [Illustration: The Black Swan of Australia] - -In fact, the swan is always ready to fight if it is meddled with. Quiet -and docile with its friends, it does not like strangers and will make -furious attacks on its enemies. When the mother bird is going about -with her flock it is best to keep out of her way, for she is jealous of -her brood, and if the male bird is near he will not bear meddling with -his family party. He will attack men and dogs alike if they come too -close and drives away the other birds of the pond. His weapons are his -strong wings, with which he can deal powerful blows. - -Under the law of England the swan is a bird royal. All swans found on -sea or river in a partly wild state are claimed as birds of the crown. -These royal birds are marked in a special way and whoever steals one -of the king's marked birds may be punished as a thief. The same is the -case with tame swans and with swan's eggs. He who steals or destroys -the latter is liable to a fine of five shillings for each egg. - -The mother swan lays from six to twelve eggs, on which she broods for -thirty-six days, while the father bird keeps at hand with a sharp -lookout for meddlers. They make their own nests and take care of -themselves, though a little island is often built up in the middle of -the pond with a straw-lined shelter in which the nest may be made. -After they are hatched, the little swans take boldly to the water and -swim about in search of food. They are gray when born and do not gain -their dazzling white color until they are two years old. - -Swans live chiefly on plant food, but they are also fond of fish spawn -and will destroy this in great quantities, thus helping to keep down -the crop of fish. In the tame state they are fed by throwing food upon -the water, though they may be taught to come ashore and seek their food -in a fixed place. - -In Belgium there is a flock which has been taught to come to the casino -of the military officers for its meals. The casino stands close to the -canal and steps go down to the water. Every afternoon at feeding time -the swans may be seen coming up the steps from the canal and crossing -the street to the kitchen of the casino, where they make a signal by -knocking on the floor with their beaks. The cooks then throw them -food. After this is eaten they make their way, at the command of the -head-cook, in a straight line back to the canal, heedless of men, dogs, -or wagons which may be in their way. - - [Illustration: The Graceful White Swan Swimming] - -In former times swans were used for food, and it was common at every -great feast in England to serve up roast swan, there being special -rules how it was to be cooked and the proper gravy made. Swan's quills -were also used for pens. In our days it is seldom eaten and quill pens -rarely used, and the only value to be had from the swan comes from its -downy feathers and its large and beautiful wings, which often bring -good prices. - - - THE PROUD AND GAUDY PEACOCK - -Among all the birds of the poultry yard first in display stands the -peacock, one of the most splendid in show of all birds. This fine -fellow, with his glowing colors and royal tail, has some claim to be -proud of his looks. Any of you who have seen him will agree with me in -this. For those who have not seen him I must try and tell what he is -like. - -Rising from the head of the peacock is a crest of feathers of the most -brilliant green and gold, while all its plumage is richly colored. But -its finest feature is its splendid train, a great circle of feathers -which rise above the tail and which it can lift into a glowing circle -of wonderful beauty. - -Of these feathers the middle ones are sometimes more than four feet -long. They grow shorter on each side till they form a complete fan. -All of these are spangled with eye-like richly-colored spots, so that -a peacock with its tail spread is one of the most brilliant objects in -nature. - -Well he knows how royal is his dress, and dearly he loves to show -himself to the plainly-dressed ladies of his flock, strutting about -with full spread train and turning slowly round that they all may see -how lovely an object he is. - -Once each year this proud fellow loses his fine feathers, and at this -time he tries to keep out of sight, as if ashamed of his plain attire. -But they soon grow again and once more he comes forward to show himself -to the world. - - [Illustration: - - Lippincott's Primer - - The Peacock, the Most Gorgeous of Home Birds] - -This bird comes from India and Ceylon. There is another species in Java -which is said to be still finer in its display. We are told that "its -crest, head and neck are rich green, the breast bluish-green margined -with gold, the back bright copper-color barred with green and light -brown, and the upper tail coverts rich green with gold and copper-color -reflections." Nature seems to have done her best to lay splendor on -this royal son of the tropics. - -What else shall be said about this bird, aside from the beauty of its -colors? In its younger days this does not appear, the sexes being alike -in plumage when they are young. The male is three years old before its -days of show begin. The cry of the bird is a shrill sound like _Pao_, -and it also makes an odd noise by rattling its quills. It is given to -quarrels and keeps to itself at night, roosting high in the trees. Its -chief food is grain, though it also eats insects and worms, and if it -can get into a garden it is sure to make mischief before it is found -out. - -In the woods of India the peacock is said to be often seen in company -with the tiger, though why no one knows. It is not easy to learn in -what way these two can help each other or what tastes they have in -common. If the taste of the tiger is for the meat of the peacock, the -bird would be likely to keep out of its way. - -How long it has been since the peafowl was first tamed we cannot -tell, but the Bible speaks of it as being known in Palestine in King -Solomon's time. Alexander the Great seems to have brought it from India -to Greece and after that time it was well known in the west. The Greeks -and Romans called it the bird of Juno, and the rich Romans, who would -go to any expense to make a new dish for their tables, are said to have -eaten the tongues and brains of the peafowl. How many of the birds must -have been killed to serve for one foolish dinner! - -In our days the eggs and young are said to make good eating, but the -birds are kept usually for their beauty alone, though their splendid -tails are used at times as an ornament. - - - THE DOVE-LIKE PIGEON - -Is there not something very soft and tender in the word dove and in the -loving ways of this fine bird? When we speak of the Turtle-dove there -rises in our mind an image of tenderness and love which never comes to -us when the Pigeon is named. Yet these two are the same. Pigeon and -dove are two names for one family of birds. - -Long ago the species known as the rock-pigeon was tamed, and this is -the one that lives with us in such numbers as one of our chief home -birds. The place we keep him in is often called the dove-cot, and in -this way the two names are still kept together. The wild rock-pigeon, -the ancestor of our tame pigeon, is also known as the ring-dove, so -that the term dove-cot fits very well. - -The pigeon is our one bird of the air. The other tenants of the poultry -yard have long given up the art of flying, except for a very short -distance, but the pigeon is a great flyer still and spends much of its -time on the wing. It is indeed one of the fastest of flyers and thinks -little of a journey of a hundred miles through the air. But it never -forgets its home and if taken away will wing its way straight back -again. - -The pigeon has been a companion of man for ages past. It is spoken of -in the annals of Egypt at a date five thousand years ago and has been -at home in city and village ever since. With its wonderful power of -flight it seems strange that it does not leave us never to return, but -as it has nothing to escape from and much to come back to, the pigeon -can be trusted with the fullest liberty. - -It is, in truth, a trusty bird, gentle and lively in nature, fond -of society and faithful to its own. It loves its home, and tenderly -caresses its mate, with a graceful show of affection. Under its name of -the dove it has long been held as the emblem of peace and innocence, -and the phrase "billing and cooing," so often applied to lovers, is -taken from its love-making methods. - -In the old countries of Asia the pigeon was held to be a sacred bird. -In Greece it was the bird of Venus and was kept in great flocks around -the temples of this goddess. From Greece it spread to Rome and thence -to all Europe, and in time became the Christian symbol of immortal -life, the white dove being looked upon as the bearer of souls to -heaven. This idea still survives and less than two weeks ago I saw a -beautiful white pigeon set free over a grave and fly upward as one on a -heavenly errand. - -In the city of Venice the pigeon is a favorite bird that has won the -affection of the people. Clouds of them circle around the cupola of -St. Mark's church and the roof of the Doge's palace, and the man who -sought to catch or harm them would do so at peril of death from the -people. - -Birds build all sorts of nests, some good, some bad, some very bad. -Those of the wild pigeon belong among the very bad, and there is a -reason for this, if we can believe a story that is told about our -feathered friend. - -This story says that the father of all the pigeons tried his best to -make a good nest but kept making bad ones. In the end he asked the -magpie, who made fine nests, to show him how it was done. He agreed to -give the magpie a cow in return for a lesson. After watching the magpie -for a few minutes he said that he knew all he wanted to and would not -give the cow. - -A judge was called to settle this case, the verdict being that the -pigeon had broken his contract and could not claim any further lessons. -So ever since that time the pigeon has built the worst kind of nests. - -The pigeon nest-builder is here spoken of as "he," for it is the male -bird that builds the nest, the duty of the female being to supply the -eggs. And he also takes part in sitting on the two eggs with which the -female begins her brood. The young pigeon is a blind and helpless bird -when it comes from the egg. It is at first fed with a sort of broth -made in the crop of its parents, and all through its bird babyhood it -needs close care, both from its father and mother and from its owners. - -A dainty and pretty bird it grows to be, one that charms us by its -fine shape and its rich colors,--blue, gray, red, yellow, white or -brown,--also by its swift and graceful flight. It needs to trust to its -wings to escape its enemies, for neither its claws nor its beak are -made for fighting. But its eyes are sharp and its great swiftness saves -it from harm. So keen is its sight that it can see a morsel of food, -such as a pea or seed, at a long distance. A quick swoop, and it has -the food in its beak. - -Much might be said about the care of the dove-cot or pigeon-house, but -it is too long a story to be given here. We can only say that much -needs to be done in keeping the house clean and fit for its purpose -and in caring for the birds. Its diet is made up of peas, beans, corn, -oats, barley and potato, with hemp seed for a special delicacy, while -it picks up many other bits of food in its daily flights. - -It is wonderful how many kinds of tame pigeons have come from their -wild ancestor, the rock-pigeon. Of no other animal except the dog are -there so many and it is hard to believe that they all came from one -source. A few of them may be named, for the whole list is far too large -for our space. - -Among the various kinds may first be named the Tumbler pigeon. This -bird flies to a great height, then sinks and soars in circles and -curves, turning somersaults in the air. All at once it drops down -in nearly a straight line; then stops short, hovers on its spread -wings, and flies upward to begin the play again. A flock of these -tumblers will keep in the air for hours at a time, enjoying themselves -and pleasing their friends below. Of these tumblers there are many -varieties, different in color, shape and size. - -A very odd kind of pigeon is the Pouter, in which the breast stands out -until it is like a great food chest, for the swelling is due to the -great size of the upper stomach. As a result the head is thrown back -almost out of sight behind this swollen chest. This gives the bird a -sulky, pouting air, from which comes its name of pouter. - -Of the other kinds we may speak of the Frilled pigeons, with the breast -feathers frizzed like a shirt frill; the Fan-tails, the tails of -which spread out in the fashion of those of the peacock; the Russian -Drum-pigeons, which do not coo, but make a sound like the roll of a -drum; the Capuchin, with a white hood and tail and a dark tuft on its -forehead; and the Lark, Magpie, Swallow, and Starling-necked pigeons, -all with something to suggest these titles. - -So far we have said nothing of the Carrier pigeon, for that claims a -place for itself. It is a bird of noble bearing, with no show of fine -feathers, since it looks more like a wild than a tame bird, but with -a splendid power of flight, one which no other pigeon can match. Its -great value is that when taken to a long distance it has a wonderful -power of finding its way home. This makes it of much use as a messenger -bird, a kind of natural telegraph which was used centuries before any -other telegraph was thought of. - - [Illustration: Pigeon Types. Carrier and Short Faced Tumbler] - -No one knows how the carrier pigeon finds its way home. Most likely its -keen power of sight has much to do with this. When set free, it flies -upward into the air in widening circles to a great height, as if trying -to see something known to it in the far distance. In the end it darts -off in a straight line, which ends only when it has reached its mate in -the home dove-cot. Of course it needs to be trained to this by shorter -flights, but a well-trained pigeon will find its home when a hundred -miles or more away. The message is written on a piece of very thin, -light paper, tied under the bird's wing or to its leg. - -The history of the carrier pigeon goes far back in time. In the days -of ancient Greece winners in the public games sent word of their -victory to their friends by pigeon post. A real pigeon postal-system -was founded in the Arabian empire by the Sultan Noureddin, who died in -1174, and this was kept up until 1258, when Bagdad, the capital, was -taken and destroyed by the Mongols. - -In later years, during the wars of Napoleon, large gains are said to -have been made by the Rothschilds, the famous bankers, who received -news of great events by pigeon post and used those news for stock -buying and selling. The newspaper press has also made much use of -messenger pigeons. The greatest case of this was in 1870, when the city -of Paris was besieged by the German army and all the telegraph wires -were down. News was sent out from Paris, in microscopical writing so -fine that a single bird could carry thousands of messages at once. -Military pigeons are still trained for use in case any war should -arise. In the German city of Cologne there is a station with five or -six hundred pigeons, trained to fly to the fortified places of the -empire. - - - THE OSTRICH AND ITS SPLENDID PLUMES - -After our talk about the pigeon, with its swift powers of flight, we -now come to a bird which has no power of flight at all, yet which -is of much value to us from the splendid feathers of its wings. It -would take strong wings indeed to lift from the ground the ostrich, -the largest of all birds, standing six to eight feet high. But what it -lacks in wings it makes up in legs, for it is a wonderful runner, being -able to outrun the fastest horse. As it runs it spreads its wings, -which seem to act as sails. - -The ostrich has often been tamed and thus it may be classed with birds -of the home, though much too large for the poultry yard. It grows quite -friendly to those who have it in charge, but does not like strangers -and is apt to attack them in a violent manner. As these birds are -plentiful in the great Sahara desert, they were often kept by the -Romans and used in their public shows. They were also used as food, and -a glutton among the Roman emperors is said to have had the brains of a -large number of ostriches served up to him in a single dish. - -The people of Africa are very fond of ostrich eggs and travellers in -that land also speak well of them. Each egg weighs about three pounds, -so that one of them is equal to about two dozen hen's eggs. The egg is -cooked by being set on end in a fire and its contents stirred about -with a stick thrust into a hole in the upper end. The shell is so thick -and strong that it is used in Africa as a water vessel. - -It is not for its brain or its eggs that the ostrich is kept in our -days, but for its fine plumes. These bring such high prices that the -birds are tamed and kept on what are called ostrich farms in order to -get a good supply of those rare feathers. The first farms were started -in South Africa in 1869, and they have since spread to other countries. -The birds need warm regions, the only states fitted for them in this -country being California and Florida. - - [Illustration: On a California Ostrich Farm] - -The long, white, beautiful ostrich plumes so highly prized by ladies -all over the world grow in the ends of the wings of the male birds. A -good bird, in the prime of its life, will yield from twenty to forty of -these, and also a few black feathers from the wings. The tail feathers -are of much less beauty and value. - -In the early days of the industry the feathers were worth $500 a pound -and the plumes of one bird would sometimes bring $125. But they have -now become so plentiful that the price has gone down to less than -one-tenth of these figures. - -To pluck the feathers, the bird is put in a box of such small size -that it cannot kick. It does not enjoy the plucking, and a kick from -its great leg is enough to break a man's bones. We can understand its -feelings, for the feathers used to be cruelly pulled out by the roots. -Now they are cut, leaving the roots of the quills, which can be pulled -out easily in a month or two. As for the use and beauty of these superb -plumes we need only to view the hat of a lady which is adorned by one -or more of them. The whole bird kingdom yields nothing more beautiful. - - - - - [Illustration] - - VI - - WINGED AND TUNEFUL HOME PETS - - -If you look back over the earlier pages of this book, you will find -that it deals with animals in some way of use to man, creatures that -guard his houses, help him in his sports, serve him as food, carry him -on their backs, haul his carts and wagons, and in other ways help him -to live and thrive. - -But our home friends are not all of this useful kind. There are some -that we keep just because we like to have them with us, and make -friends of for their sweet songs, their beauty of form or color, and -the love they give us for the love we give them. These are the song -birds of the home, the pretty little winged warblers which we keep in -cages to save them from the prowling cat and to hinder them from flying -away, but which we do all we can to make happy and joyous, and which -pay us back in their own charming way. - -There are many of these cage-pets. The one that we see most of is the -canary, but there are many others for which we find room in our homes -and are as glad to keep as they seem glad to be kept. Among these -birds of the cage and the aviary are the linnet and the bullfinch, -admired for their beauty of color; the mocking bird, with its wonderful -power of imitating the songs of all the feathered brood; the thrush, a -singer of fine powers; the finch, with its cheerful whistle, especially -the bullfinch, splendid in color and varied in song; the bunting, the -lark, the wagtail, and various others admired for beauty or sweetness -of song; and to these we must add the strange and amusing bird talkers, -such as the parrot, which has wonderful powers of learning words and -fitting them into the right place, a bird that fairly makes us jump at -times by the neat way in which it says the right thing at the right -time. Then there are the magpie, the jackdaw, and the starling, ready -talkers and good company for the lonely. - - - THE CANARY AND ITS SONG - -Of the home birds the gold-hued Canary comes first, as the chief -favorite among them all. From its native home on the Canary Islands it -has been taken to Europe and America and kept so long in cages that it -has quite forgotten its old-time liberty, so that a canary-bird escaped -from its cage is the most helpless creature in the feathered flock, and -is likely to become the prey of the cat if not captured and brought -back to its cage-home. - -The wild canary is not noted for its beauty and not greatly for its -song. It is found in large numbers in the Canary, Madeira, and Cape -Verde Islands, and is of a greenish-yellow color, with gray tail and -wings. It is the art of man which has made the home bird what it is -and has given it its color and its fine vocal powers. When the Canary -Islands were occupied by the Spaniard in 1478 these birds were taken in -large numbers to Spain, from which they spread over Europe, becoming -the pets of many a cottage and castle home. In many of the old pictures -we see their little forms, now perched in a corner, now sitting on a -lady's finger. - -The canary belongs to the family of finches, its place being between -the linnet and the goldfinch. In its native islands it dwells near -man, building its nest--of moss, feathers, hair, etc.--in thick, bushy -places. The hen-bird lays an egg every day until from four to six are -in the nest, on which she begins to sit. In thirteen days the young -birds appear and in thirteen more they are able to fly, but their -parents feed them for some time longer, on grass seeds or other plant -food. - -We must say that this bird enjoys cage-life, for it seems very happy -in its narrow home. It becomes quite tame and fearless, grows to love -its mistress, and sings with a freedom that speaks of a joyful heart. -In its wild state it is fond of bathing, and it is needful to give it a -frequent bath in its cage, if it is to be kept well and tuneful. - -The cage-canary is a home bird, unlike the bird of the free air. It -has been made over by man and fitted for its new life. Early in its -cage career the country people around Innsbruck, in the Tyrol, became -active in raising these little vocalists, and from there they spread to -Germany and the Netherlands. To-day they are raised in large numbers -in the Hartz Mountain region of Germany, where great care is taken -in teaching them to sing. They are also raised and taught in other -countries. - -The canary is very ready to take on new songs and its trainer is -careful to keep it from falling into bad habits. If a bird happens to -hear a bad note it is apt to take it up and it is hard to break it of -the fault. So the good singers are kept where they cannot hear those of -poor voice, and a number of the finest singers are kept as models to -teach the young birds how to sing. - -Bird lovers have their tastes. Some like a loud song, with high notes -and long trills. Others prefer a soft, warbling, flute-like note, with -clear flourishes of song, and no one likes these to be broken by a -sharp "Chap-chap" or "tsi-tsi" or other vocal fault. - -It takes nearly a year for a canary to gain its education. In that time -it will learn several airs. Some of these may be forgotten, and then -the model songster is brought near so that they may be learned again. -It is said that some canaries have even been taught to speak a few -words. - -Sometimes a bird that has a shrill or too sharp note is kept in the -shade until this is corrected. And the canary often sings better in -the little cages of the dealers than in the large, fine cages of its -final home. Thus singing birds as well as singing people have their own -fancies. - -Rape and hemp seeds are the principal food of these birds. A little -flax-seed is also good for them, as it helps to fatten them. They are -fond of flowering groundsel and chickweed and a very small supply of -these is good for their health. They also have a sweet tooth and are -very fond of sugar. - -Shall we say something about the different breeds of canaries? There -are numbers of them and each country has its own. We can tell the -breeds apart by their shape and song. Thus the English canaries are -very tall, with a tuft or top-knot on the head. The French breed is -noted for its slender form. In Germany more heed is paid to song than -to shape. Holland was long known for a fine, strong race which is still -called the Dutch canary, though it is no longer to be found in that -country. In the United States shape and color are the points looked -after, birds of elegant form being preferred. - -The Belgian canaries have been called the "nobles" of the canary race. -They are large, with narrow, flattish head and very gentle eyes. The -neck is flexible, the head is carried straight forward and the back -and tail bend almost straight downward, this giving the bird an odd -appearance. Its little form and the way it carries its head, with the -mild look in its eyes, are notable points. The Scotch Fancy canary, now -common in England and the United States, is like the Belgian but has a -much flatter head. - - - THE MARVELLOUS MOCKING BIRD - -We have said much about the canary because it is far the most common of -cage-birds, but we have at home a bird of our own, not so often kept in -cages, but in its way one of the most marvellous of birds. This is the -Mocking-bird, a native American with so rich and tender a voice that in -the West Indies, where it is very common, it is called the nightingale. -This is due both to the melody of its song and its habit of singing at -night. - -It is not quiet in the day-time, but then shows its powers in a -different way. It is this that gives it the name of mocking bird, -for it has a wonderful power of taking up the songs of other birds, -imitating them so exactly as to cheat the ears of all that listen. -Now it takes up the song of one bird, now of another, and fills the -air with its fine mockery. By night, when other birds are apt to be -still, it keeps to its sweet native song, but by day takes delight -in its strange faculty of imitation. Not only does it repeat musical -tones, but also the harshest tones it hears, making of it all a strange -medley. - - [Illustration: The Mocking Bird. No other Bird has such Versatile - Vocal Powers] - -This is seen in a striking way when the mocking bird is caged. Then it -mocks the many sounds around it. It will bark like a dog, mew like a -cat, crow like a cock, cackle like a hen, creak like a wheelbarrow, and -take up a host of varied sounds. And while doing this it spreads its -wings, expands its tail, and throws itself about the cage as if it was -having the best time of its life. It can be easily taught to whistle a -tune of some length, but never seems to imitate the voice of man. - -It rarely, however, sings as well in the cage as in its free state. -The wild bird seems to like to be near man and often builds its nest -in a tree or bush close to a house. While the female bird is sitting -the male is very wide-awake and shows the greatest courage in driving -enemies away from the nest. In the brooding season they will often -gather in flocks and fight off birds of prey of much larger size. A -snake that comes too near is killed by a quick series of blows on the -head, and the cat soon finds that it is best to keep away from the -mocking bird's nest. - -There is another bird of the same family that dwells much farther -north, being common as far north as Massachusetts. It has powers of -imitation like those of the mocking bird and a sweet song of its own, -but when disturbed gives vent to a sharp, mew-like cry from which it -has got the name of Cat-bird. Like the Mocking bird, it builds its nest -near man and makes no attempt to hide it, but fights off enemies with -a like boldness. No one thinks of caging this bird, for its cat-call -is not at all pleasant and has given it a bad name, but its song is -pleasing to our ears. - - - OTHER CAGED SONGSTERS - -The smaller birds are often so bright and beautiful and have such -musical voices, that many of them are made tenants of the cage. Here -they do not seem sad or mournful, but are likely to make themselves -much at home. - -There is the Bullfinch, a nervous, uneasy fellow, always in a flutter, -yet easy to keep in cage life and ready to raise a family in captivity. -These birds are at once beautiful and tuneful. In color they are as -handsome as many of the birds of the tropics, while they can be taught -a variety of bird airs. They need to be coaxed, and their tutor must -use the same coaxing words and gestures and even wear the same coat -when he gives his bird its lessons. But a well-taught bird brings a -high price and it pays the poor folks of parts of Europe to spend much -time in teaching them. - -It takes time and trouble to teach a bullfinch to whistle a tune, but -it pays for the labor. A young bird must be taken from the nest before -it has begun to twitter and kept where it can hear no sounds except -those made by its teacher. In this way it fails to learn its native -tones and may be taught to do wonderful things, whistling a whole tune -as well as any boy could do it. I can prove this best by telling a -little story. - -There was a flute-player at a London theatre who had an ebony flute -with silver keys. But he did not often use it, for one of its upper -notes was not good. He lived with a tailor and the two were great -friends. - -One night, while he was at the theatre, some one stole his silver -flute. He could not think who had done it, except it was an old woman -who did the work of the house. But nothing could be found out and in -time the loss was forgotten. A few months later the tailor moved to a -town some miles away, but the two were still friends and at times paid -each other visits. - -Once, after a year had gone by, the flute-player went to see the -tailor, and was pleased to find that his friend had a splendid -bullfinch, which could whistle three tunes. But there was something -curious about these tunes. Whenever the bird came to a certain high -note it would skip this and go on to the next. The musician was quick -to notice that this missing note was the very one that was wanting in -his flute. He sharply questioned the tailor, who was forced to admit -that he had stolen the flute and had used it in teaching the bird its -tunes. - -There are many other birds that can be taught to whistle tunes. The -English blackbird is one of these. A writer tells us a pretty story of -this bird. He says:-- - -"I once knew a bird that could whistle 'Polly Hopkins' with wonderful -accuracy. His owner sold him, at the same time making the purchaser -acquainted with the bird's favorite tune. As soon as the gentleman got -home he at once hung up the blackbird, and, going to the piano, struck -up 'Polly Hopkins.' But he introduced parts into the tune that the bird -had never heard before; so, after listening awhile, the little critic -began hissing, fluttering his wings and thus showing his distaste. -Much surprised, the gentleman left off playing, and then the blackbird -opened his throat and favored his new master with _his_ version of -'Polly Hopkins,' nor would he ever listen with any patience to any -other version." - -I must also tell the story of the wood-chopper's ghost. Once there -was a lively wood-chopper who was always whistling and singing while -at work. But in spite of his jolly temper something went wrong and one -day he hung himself in his shop. Some days later other men at work in -the wood-shed were dreadfully scared by hearing the dead man's favorite -tune, "William at the Garden Gate," whistled in his old way. There was -a rush from the shop, which they thought haunted, and as the tune was -kept up day after day, no one would go near the place. Finally the -mystery was made clear. A thrush was seen to fly from a near by grove -to the roof of the wood-shed and pipe up the ghostly tune. It had -learned it from the wood-chopper's lips and came back every day to the -same spot to whistle the tune. - -The Skylark, a very common bird of Britain and Europe, is so famous for -the charm of its song that many of the poets have sung its praises in -rare verse. It does not, like many birds, sing when sitting, but pours -out its voice when on the wing and when far up in the sky. From this it -gets its name. From the upper air its sweet notes come tumbling down -in pearly music, "the notes nearly all alike and in the same key, but -rapid, swarming, prodigal, showering down as thick and fast as drops of -rain in a summer shower." - -This is a favorite cage-bird, one that lives many years in its narrow -home. It sings in the cage as sweetly as when in the air, pouring forth -its song many times in an hour and for weeks and months together. It -is also a loving little pet and grows very fond of those who care for -it. - -Of course all of you have read of the Nightingale, the Bulbul of the -Persian poets, a bird whose very name seems to sing. This little -songster has for ages been famous for its loud, rich and varied tones, -its song being full of long, plaintive, quivering strains. Singing all -night long, when most of the birds are still, it has been a favorite -among bird lovers and poets in all lands, the Persian poets making the -loves of the bulbul and the rose a theme of many of their verses. Its -song has a mournful tone, but as it is sung to its mate in the nesting -season, the sadness in its voice must keep company with gladness in its -heart. - -The nightingale is often kept as a cage-bird, and if taken before the -nesting season soon grows to like its prison life, but if taken after -it has joined its mate it will pine away and die. It is best to take -it from the nest when young and bring it up by hand. In its wild state -its song ends with the end of the nesting season, but in the cage it is -kept up for a much longer time and is very pleasing. - -For an American nightingale we have the mocking-bird, a sweet night -singer which, as I have said, is given that name in the West Indies. -Another is a variety of the Grosbeak, called the Cardinal Bird from -its red color. This is called the Virginia Nightingale in England and -is one of the finest American song-birds. Its loud, clear, sweet song -is heard chiefly in the mornings and evenings and the beauty of its -plumage adds to its attraction. - -The thrushes are also fine cage-birds, the black thrush having a lively -whistle and the art of taking up the songs of other birds. In this it -is far from equal to the mocking bird, but with care can be taught to -sing a number of bird airs. - -The Song-thrush or Mavis of England is well-known through Europe as a -singer of fine powers, one of the best of the songful train and a rival -of the nightingale in its power of song. Another of the same tribe is -the Missel-thrush, with a good voice but not the equal of that of the -Mavis. - -One of the sweetest of American bird singers is the Wood-thrush or -Hermit-thrush, not as a cage-bird but as a haunter of secret places, -from which its voice comes rich and full, sweet and placid, like the -notes of a flute sounded in the morning air. - -So far I have spoken only of the singing and whistling of birds, -but there are other things they can be taught. Many have seen trick -birds--the goldfinch, the canary, and other birds--that could do -wonderful feats. They have been taught to fire little cannons, to -pretend to be dead, to climb a ladder, to stand unmoved when fireworks -were set off, and many other things of strange kind. - -But if those who have seen these tricks knew how the birds were taught -they would never go again to see them, for it is said to be done by -cruelty. But there are bird tricks in which no cruelty is needed. Thus -a bird may be taught to draw up water to his cage by means of a tiny -chain and pail, pulling at the chain with his beak and holding every -link drawn up with his feet. He may also be taught to ring for his -food. A little bell is hung in a corner of his cage and he is kept a -few hours without seed. Then, by a thread fastened to the bell, it is -rung and at once a few seeds are put in the bird's seed cup. The little -chap soon learns that he is fed when the bell rings and it will not be -long before he will pull the thread and ring the bell himself. - - - THE PARROT AS A TALKER - -Chief among the talking birds are the parrots. These quaint and curious -winged chatterers have long been kept in the home of man, for we have -tales of them more than two thousand years old. It was 1504 when the -first parrot reached England, but now they are to be seen in all parts -of the world, some kept for their brilliant colors, some for their -wonderful power of speech. - -Best known among them as a cage-bird is the Gray-parrot, the ablest -talker of the family, the amusing Poll-parrot seen in so many homes. -Though a cage is provided, they become such home-bodies as to be given -all the liberty they want, being often free to go about the house, -though they look upon the cage as their special dwelling place. - - [Illustration: The White Faced Parrot] - -Poll-parrot has a great deal of human nature in his little body. He -thinks, he remembers, he imitates, he enjoys a joke, loves his friends -and hates his enemies, and when he learns words he often knows just -what they mean and when and how to use them. When our parrot says -"Polly wants a cracker!" it may not be a cracker that she expects but -it is something to eat, and she is apt to keep up the call until she -gets it. - -There is no end to the tales about parrots and their odd speeches, -often strangely fitted to the time and place. They can be taught to say -a great many things, and often know just how to bring them in. Here is -one told by Mr. Romanes, showing a parrot's wit in a tricky way no man -could surpass. - -"One day the cat and parrot had a quarrel. I think the cat had upset -polly's food, or something of the kind; however, they seemed all right -again. An hour or so after polly was standing on the edge of the table; -she called out in a tone of extreme affection, - -"'Puss, puss, come then--come then, pussy.' - -"Pussy went and looked up innocently enough. Polly with her beak seized -a basin of milk standing by and tipped the basin and all its contents -over the cat; then chuckled diabolically, of course broke the basin, -and half drowned the cat." - -Here is another story of parrot wit. The bird was making a variety of -squeals and cries. One of the men who heard began to imitate her. This -roused the parrot to try new cries, and at last she made one so odd -that he could not repeat it, try as he would. - -Proud of her triumph, the parrot gave a loud "Ha! ha! ha!" swung on her -perch with her head downward, sprang about the cage, tossed a piece of -wood over her head, and kept repeating the cry, followed by peals of -"Ha! ha! ha!" till everybody joined in her wild laugh. - -The parrot has a good memory and will pick up a good many words and -phrases, even the verses of a song taught to her. Many she gets by -listening to words often said and at times will come out with a new bit -of apt language to the surprise of every one who hears it. If a word -she has once learned comes into her head, she often follows this word -with all the other words and sayings learned at the same time. - -Here is a parrot story going back as far as 1672, one which was much -talked of at the time. It is of an old parrot of Brazil when Prince -Maurice was governor there. The Prince was told of the strange talking -powers of this bird and sent for it. When it was brought into the room, -where were many men with the Prince, it began, - -"What a company of white men are here." - -"What is this man?" asked one, pointing to the Prince. - -"Some general or other," said the parrot. - -"Where did you come from?" asked the Prince. - -"From Marinnan." - -"To whom do you belong?" - -"To a Portuguese." - -"What do you do here?" asked the Prince. - -"I look after the chickens." - -"You look after the chickens," said the Prince, with a laugh. - -"Yes, and I know well enough how to do it," and the parrot began to -cluck like a hen calling chickens. - -It is hard to believe that a parrot could keep up a conversation in -this correct way, but the story comes from Sir William Temple, who is -very good authority, and who was told it by the Prince himself. - -We are told of a French parrot which could laugh like a man, and would -break out into a hearty chuckle when some one said (of course in -French), "Laugh, parrot, laugh." - -The odd thing was that it would follow the laugh with the words, - -"Oh, what a fool to make me laugh!" and repeat this two or three times. - -A lady had a gray parrot four years old which was very quick in taking -up new words and very correct in using them. When he did some bit of -mischief his mistress would scold him, to which he would reply angrily, - -"Not a naughty Poll!" "Not a bold, bad bird!" and would stamp his foot, -crying "I am not--I am not." - -If she praised him he would tell her she was a darling and that he -loved her. He was jealous when children were present and were made much -of, and would cry, - -"Go away, bold boy!" "Go away, bold girl," never mistaking between boy -and girl. - -When a visitor took off coat or shawl the bird would act as if trying -to take off his wings, and laugh heartily at his performance if any one -else laughed. He would play with the cats till he was tired of them and -then whistle for the dog to chase them away. - - [Illustration: A Gray Parrot on His Perch. Waiting to Speak His Piece] - -We might go on and on with parrot stories, for they are endless. Very -likely many of you could tell me as good ones as I can tell you. One -thing of note about these birds is their love of a joke. Here is a tale -of one of these jokers that loved to make fun of Carlo, the dog. Carlo -would be snoozing in a corner of the room when polly would cry out in a -voice exactly like his master's, - -"Hi, Carlo! Cats!" - -Up would jump the dog, rush into the garden, look fiercely round, then, -hearing a fresh cry of "Cats! Cats! Seize them, Carlo!" would bound -over the wall into the next garden. The next moment the bird, with a -wonderful change of tone, would call out in the master's sternest tones, - -"Come back, Carlo! Come back, you naughty dog!" - -Back would come Carlo in a slinking way, as if expecting to feel his -master's cane. - -Another bird was fond of playing jokes of a different kind on the house -dog. It would whistle and call out in a soft tone, - -"Gyp, poor old Gyp! Does Gyp want to go out?" - -The dog, delighted at the prospect of a run with its master, would -begin to frisk and dance about, looking around to see where he was. -This got to be a common trick with the bird, for the dog never found -out that it was being tricked by the parrot. - - - OTHER TALKING BIRDS - -Many of my readers must know that there are other birds that can talk, -some of them as well as the parrot. Those who may have read the novel -of "Barnaby Rudge," by Charles Dickens, are likely to remember the -Raven of that story, with its "Never say die." - -A very famous bird of this kind is Poe's raven, told of in the poem of -that name, whose one word was "Nevermore." - -These are birds of fiction and poetry but there are talking ravens in -the annals of fact. There was one, some years ago, at home in a tavern -at Stoke Newington, England, who could not bear gray or white horses, -though it did not mind any other color. No sooner would a horse of the -hated color come up to the water-trough for a drink than Peg would -perch on the edge of the trough and swear lustily at the poor animal. -Or else it would start it off with a loud "Gee, whoa," in the exact -tones of a carter. - -One day Peg saw a sailor take some tobacco from a box at his elbow, -put it in his mouth, and begin to chew. The bird watched him closely -and seemed to fancy that this must be something good to eat, for the -instant the man's back was turned she hopped up and took a mouthful of -the weed. For the rest of that day Peg was a very sick bird, and even -the next day was far from well. - -She had learned a lesson which she did not forget. Some days later a -white horse, drawing a hay cart, was driven up to the trough for a -drink. Peg at once hopped up and began her abuse, but the horse had -met the bird before and paid no attention to her impudence. At this -she flew into the house where some men were smoking, caught up a paper -of tobacco from the table, and flew back with it, dropping it into the -horse's nose bag. - -If a strange dog happened to stray up to the inn Peg was at once wide -awake. Up she would skip, and when close to the dog's ear would shout -in her loud, harsh voice, "Halloa, whose dog are you?" Before the cur -could turn she would break out in a great show of rage and loud cries -of "Hi! ho! go home!" which usually sent the intruder off up the street -at a frantic rate. - -The raven belongs to the family of the crows, in which are some other -birds, as the Jackdaw and the Magpie, that can be taught to speak. They -are not to be compared with the parrot, yet they must be classed with -the talking birds. The magpie has the tendency of picking up words -here and there of a sort not suited to polite society, and is not well -fitted for a house pet. He is quite ready to try his sharp beak on his -master and is like the crow in stealing every bright thing he sees. - -The Magpie has a cousin, the Jackdaw, who is not quite his equal as a -thief, but is not as honest as a parson. He also has the gift of speech -and at times can use it with fine effect. The bird is easily tamed and -taught to talk and there are some good stories told of him. One or two -of these you may enjoy reading. - -There is a small shell-fish called the cockle which is often pickled in -England, and in a house where the folks were fond of pickled cockles -was a jackdaw, who was quite as fond of them. The cook had pickled -some of these and put them in a jar, covering it with parchment. But -the next morning she found the cover partly ripped off and some of the -cockles missing. - -At a loss to know who had done this mischief, she tied on the cover -again and went about her work. At midday, when she was busy over the -stove, basting a roast joint, she heard a sound of tearing parchment -and looked round to see the jackdaw with his head hidden in the jar, -feasting away greedily. - -The cook at that moment had a ladle full of hot fat in her hand, and in -a rage threw it over the thief, crying out "You rogue! you go to the -cockles, do you!" - -All the feathers were scalded off of Jack's head and he went about the -house, bald and ashamed. Some days later his master gave a party, among -his guests being one who was quite bald. In the afternoon the bird was -brought up stairs to amuse the party, and he did so very neatly. - -Flying to the mantel, he saw the man with the bald head. At once he -flew to his shoulder, and cocking his eye at the bare poll in a funny -fashion, cried out, "You rogue! you go to the cockles, do you!" - -Another jackdaw belonged to a retired innkeeper, who, while in -business, had taught the bird to say, "Mind the reckoning," and also to -call out "No trust." His cage hung in the public room, where, no doubt, -he helped his master in making a fortune on which to retire. - -Long after he had gone out of business some burglars broke into the -house to rob him, getting in through the window of the room where the -jackdaw was kept. As the thieves talked in low tones about the job -before them and what part of the house they should visit first, the -words, "Mind the reckoning," came in loud tones to their guilty ears. - -"Good Lord!" cried one of the scared thieves, "I trust we----" - -"No trust! no trust!" came in the same hoarse voice, "Mind the -reckoning! Mind the reckoning!" - -Away went the scared thieves, through the window and over the garden -wall, leaving their tools behind them, while the daw roused the house -with its screams of delight over their flight. - -The fashion of stealing of the crow tribe makes a pet crow not very -safe to keep about. Any bright or shining thing, like a pair of -scissors, a silver spoon, or a gold stud, is sure to take his fancy and -when once in his beak the chance is that it will never be seen again, -for he is a cute chap at hiding his spoils. - -The crow indeed is a sharp fellow in more ways than one. He is an -expert at tricks. Here is one told of the Indian crow. - -A dog--a fox-terrier of good training--was one day gnawing a chicken -bone on the veranda when two crows saw him at his meal and lighted on -the veranda railing, where they began to croak. The very sight of a -crow is usually enough to make a dog forget his breakfast and fly at -the bird; but this time Jack merely growled and kept on gnawing. - -As this did not work, one of the birds dropped down to the veranda -floor and croaked again. Again Jack growled, but he went on gnawing. -The crow now strolled round the veranda for a minute till the dog was -intent on his bone, then hopped up and gave his tail a sharp nip. - -This was too much for the fox-terrier. With a howl of pain he turned -upon the bird, when the other crow, which had been quietly waiting its -chance, swooped down, snatched up the bone, and flew away, its comrade -in mischief quickly joining it. - -Jack's look of disgust, when he found how neatly he had been fooled by -a pair of crows, was a sight worth seeing. - -Have you ever seen a Starling and heard one talk? If not you have -missed a treat, for this bird has fine powers of speech. He can -whistle, croak and talk and is one of the choice delights of many a -cottage home in Europe. He has lately been imported into this country. - -The common starling is a very pretty creature, clad in brown, with -purple and green hues, and a buff-colored tip to each feather which -gives the bird a fine speckled appearance. In its wild state it has a -soft and sweet song, and in a cage is a pert and friendly house pet, -one that mocks the songs of others, learns to whistle tunes, and can -talk as clearly as many of its keepers. I must tell the story of a pair -of very cute and lively starlings, as it is told us by the gentleman in -whose house these birds were born and brought up. - -Dick and his wife lived in a large cage, with all the things needed to -make than enjoy life. Once a day the cage door was opened and they took -a bath on the kitchen floor, Dick first and his wife afterwards, for he -was a little household tyrant, cuffing his mate soundly when she tried -to be first in anything. - - [Illustration: The Starling. One of the Talking Birds] - -Dick's first lesson was in imitating the rumble of carts in the street. -Of this he was very proud and soon learned to speak his own name, -always with the prefix "Pretty." He was always "Pretty Dick." As for -his wife, he gave her the strange name of "Hezekiah." How he learned -this no one knew, but he always used it. - -Thus if his wife tried to join him in a song, he would stop and call -out angrily, "Hezekiah! Hezekiah!" Then he would start again, and if -she forgot his scolding and joined in again he was apt to chase her -around the cage and give her a sound thrashing. At their meals Dick -showed the same spirit. His wife was not allowed to touch a morsel till -his lordship was done. If she dared to hop down and snatch a meal while -he was singing it was a sad time for her if he caught her at it. - -But though Dick was a tyrant to his wife, to those who cared for him he -was a loving little pet. He was very quick at learning new words, and -soon knew a large number, which he never grew tired of using. He grew -so tame that he was given full freedom of the house and garden, and -would spend hours in the grounds, catching flies, singing, and talking -to himself as if repeating his lessons. He and the cat and kittens were -the warmest friends, but he would play with the dogs also and often -went to sleep on their backs. - -"Doctor" was his name for his teacher, and if in singing an air he -forgot part of it he would cry "Doctor, doctor," and repeat the last -note once or twice, as if to say, "What comes next?" In this way -he learned to pipe the tunes of--_Duncan Grey_ and _The Sprig of -Shillelah_, without a single wrong note. When a tune was played on -the fiddle, he would listen with close attention, and when it was -done would say "Bravo" in three distinct tones, thus: "Bravo! doctor; -br-r-ravo! bravo!" - -He got somehow into the fashion of starting a sentence with the verb -"Is," spoken loudly. - -"Is?" he would say. - -"Is what, Dick?" - -"Is the darling starling a pretty pet?" - -"No doubt about that." - -He had the habit of combining his words in various ways, and one day -asked: - -"Is the darling doctor a rascal?" - -"Just as you think," was the reply. - -"Tse! tse! tse! Whew! whew! whew!" sang Dick, finishing with _Duncan -Grey_ and part of _The Sprig of Shillelah_. - -He had been taught to say, "Love is the soul of a nate Irishman," but -was often heard to vary it in such ways as "Love is the soul of a nate -Irish starling," or "Is love the soul of a darling pretty Dick," and so -on. - -Here is a sample of a chat between Dick and his master. - -"Doctor," the bird would begin, "_is_ it, _is_ it a nate Irish pet?" - -"Silence and go to sleep. I want to write," said the doctor. - -"Eh?" Dick would say; "_What_ is it? _What_ d'ye say?" - -If no answer came the bird would break out: - -"_Is_ it sugar,--snails--sugar, snails, and brandy?" Then, "Doctor, -doctor!" - -"Well, Dickie, what is it now?" - -"Doctor--whew." That meant the doctor was to whistle. - -"I shant." - -"Tse! tse! tse!" Dick would chirp, and then say, "Doctor, will you go a -clinking?" - -To Dick a fly was always a clink, and clinking meant fly-hunting. -Perched on his master's finger he would be carried around the room and -held up to every resting fly. He never missed one. - -As Dick grew older he became more of a tyrant to his wife. She could do -nothing to please him, he attacked her every morning and the last thing -at night and half-starved her besides. - -Sometimes she used to peck him back, driven to it by his ill temper, -and this led Dick's master to play him a trick. One day when Dick had -bullied her worse than ever, he took Hezekiah out of the cage and -fastened a small pin to her bill, the point sticking out a little. - -When she was put back Dick accused her of "going on shore without -leave," and pecked her so viciously that she gave him a sharp peck in -return. That Dick jumped when he felt the pin may well be said, and -his look was comical as he cried out, "Eh! _What_ d'ye say? Hezekiah! -Hezekiah!" - -Hezekiah, pleased with her success, now chased him round and round the -cage, punishing him until the doctor opened the door and let the victim -out. - -But the bird could not spend her life with a pin tied to her bill, and -in the end, to stop the family quarrels, the doctor gave her away to a -friend and Dick was left alone. - -For this strange story of a talking starling we are indebted to Robert -Cochrane, who gives it in his book "Four Hundred Animal Stories." -That any bird could talk with so much sense and reason seems hard to -believe, though the writer is good authority. Here is his wind up of -Dick's story: - -"Poor Dickie! One day he was shelling peas to himself in the garden, -when some boys startled him and he flew away. I suppose he lost himself -and could not find his way back. At all events I only saw him once -again. I was going down through an avenue of trees about a mile from -the house, when a voice in a tree above hailed me: 'Doctor! doctor! -What _is_ it?' That was Dick; but a crow flew past and scared him -again, and away he flew--for ever." - - - - - [Illustration] - - VII - - OUR COUSIN THE MONKEY - - -The organ-grinder and his monkey are two animals well known to us all, -and we may have looked at them now and then and asked ourselves which -of the two had the best brain. The one spends his time turning a crank -and grinding out something that passes for music. His little brother -dances about on his nimble legs, holds out his hat for pennies, and -chatters away in a language of his own. - -We do not understand what he has to say; but neither do we understand -a Chinaman or a Frenchman. We say to ourselves that he has been taught -his tricks; but so has his master been taught how to use his music-box. -No doubt the master learns his art more quickly than the monkey, but -then he understands what is told him while his poor little comrade does -not, but has to be shown everything he is to do, so this gives the man -a great advantage. - -Now do not think that I am trying to say that the monkey has as good a -brain as the man. All I want to say is that he has a brain that acts -in the same way. But it gets to its upper level of thought before it -reaches what is a low level in man. The monkey can think as we can, and -often shows that he is thinking. So can many other animals, such as the -dog and the parrot; but while the monkey looks more like a man than -these animals, it also seems to think more like a man. - -Have you ever been to the zoo and seen a cage full of monkeys, or seen -a cage of them in a travelling menagerie? Lively, cunning, jolly little -fellows they are, playing tricks on one another, leaping and climbing, -never still for two minutes together, and the most curious of all -the animals we know. What does this curiosity mean? Does it not mean -that the monkey wants to know, just as we want to know when we show -curiosity? And wanting to know is the first step towards getting to -know. - - - THE MONKEY AS A PET - -Among the many pets kept by man the monkey must be included. We take -a fancy to it as if it were a far-off cousin of our own. With its -power of walking on its hind legs and using its front legs as arms and -its paws as hands, and also often in the shape of its face, it has -something very human about it, and there is no animal in which young -folks take more delight--and many older folks also. - -What many enjoy in it is its love of mischief. There is no trick that -it is not up to. At any rate when we hear of boys playing "monkey -tricks" they seem to us, in this way, on the same level as the monkey. -They would likely play more of them if they had the monkey's nimble -ways, for the monkey has the best of the boy in getting out of reach. -Many of them can even use their tails to swing on, leaving all their -legs free for acts of mischief. - -All this is very well in its way, but it stands in the way of keeping -the monkey as a pet, for it is apt in the end to become a nuisance. -No one knows what it is going to do next. It is as full of tricks as -a watermelon is of seeds. As we do not enjoy a boy who is too fond of -mischief, so we do not enjoy a monkey. He makes too much trouble. And -then he is of no use except as a pet. We can not often put him to work, -except in such ways as taking up pennies for an organ-grinder. - -It is said that some people in the South are talking of using the -monkey to pick cotton. This sounds very nice. No doubt the monkey -can be taught to pick cotton, as it has been taught to do many other -things. But it is not to be trusted. Any fancy, a bird flying over, a -mouse stealing through the cotton field, will be likely to draw it from -its task, and if any one tries to punish it for not keeping to its work -he cannot be sure but that the little rascal will have revenge in some -costly way. - - - HOW MONKEYS TAKE REVENGE - -Many stories might be told of monkeys that take revenge on those who -treat them badly. One or two of these may be worth telling. There is -one story of a gentleman who kept a pet monkey and lived next door to a -widow lady who had three boys, all fond of mischief. - -These boys were at home from school for the holidays and spent much -of their time in teasing the monkey, in such ways as throwing lighted -fire-crackers at him and giving him nuts filled with pepper and mustard. - -The little sufferer did not forget. When the boys set out on their -return to school the monkey watched them from a hiding place till they -were well out of the way. Then he crept slyly along the balcony till -he came to a window of the widow's house, looked in to see that there -was no one about, then went in, found a bottle of ink on the table, and -sprinkled the ink widely over the carpet and furniture. He was caught -at the trick, handed over to his master, and soundly whipped. But he -had his revenge for the nuts and crackers. - -Here is a tale of a jealous monkey. His master, who made a great pet of -him, belonged to a yacht club and used to take him along when out on -a cruise. Every one on board petted him and he felt that he was folks -like all the rest and a gentleman of importance. - -But the time came when the monkey found his nose out of joint. This -time there was a pretty girl on board and the attention that had been -given to Master Pug was given to her. She said that she did not like -monkeys, so our little friend had to keep in the background, a thing -which he did not like at all. - -Master Pug waited his chance for revenge on the girl who did not like -monkeys. The party on the yacht went ashore to see some caves and he -managed to slip into the boat unseen and go with them. Keeping his -eye open for chances, he spied a large crab, which he picked up and -put against the young lady's heel. In an instant it gripped her with -its strong claw and she gave a loud scream of pain. The monkey got a -whipping, for some one had seen him in the act, but very likely he felt -that he had got even. - -Monkeys do not forget easily and will often bear malice for a long -time. A lady named Mrs. Lee, when at the zoölogical garden in Paris, -saw a big ape in a cage ill treating one of his fellows. To stop him -she tapped him smartly on the hands. This the savage creature did not -forget nor forgive. Whenever he saw her at later times in the monkey -house, or even heard her voice, he would fly into a passion, roll about -his cage in rage, and once when she came within reach he seized her -gown through the bars of his cage and tore out a piece of it, though it -was of strong material. - -Shall we tell the story of one that acted in a cruel manner? He was -kept tied to a stake in the grounds and the crows of the neighborhood -often robbed him of his food. He got the best of the robbers in a way -very artful, even for a monkey. - - [Illustration: Feeding Monkeys at the Zoölogical Garden] - -One day he lay on the ground quite still, as if he was dead. The birds -came near and picked at his food but the cunning little rascal never -stirred. Growing bolder, the crows approached until one of them was -within reach. In an instant the monkey made a quick grab and caught -the culprit. Holding his prisoner firmly, he pulled out its feathers -until not one was left in its naked body. Then he flung it towards its -companions, who were screaming with rage and fear. At once, for reasons -best known to the crow community, they made a fierce attack on their -featherless comrade and pecked it to death. Those who saw this affair -say that the delight on the monkey's face, as he saw this, was too -great to be described. - - - IMITATION A MONKEY TRAIT - -The monkey is an animal easy to teach, for it is very ready to do what -it sees those around it do. It thus has two qualities very useful in -teaching, curiosity and imitation. When it sees anything being done -it is apt to watch closely and then try to do the same thing. These -qualities we all have. Many of us are curious to see and prompt to do -what our teacher does, and in this way the monkey is like man in his -thinking powers. It does not wait to be told to do things, but will try -to do them itself. This faculty has led to some comical results, as you -will think when you read the following stories. - -We are told of a retired admiral and his wife who had a monkey as one -of their home pets. The admiral had a habit of reading the paper aloud -to his wife and would strike it in a testy way when he read something -that made him angry. One day his wife, hearing a strange noise in the -dining-room, looked in to see what caused it. What she saw was very -amusing. - -In the arm chair sat master monkey, with the admiral's smoking-cap on -his head and the admiral's spectacles on his nose. In his hand was an -open newspaper, and this he shook and patted, just as he had seen his -master do, jabbering away in a very funny manner to the cat that lay -blinking on the hearth. So close was the imitation to the tone and -manner of the testy old sea-dog that the lady broke up the performance -with a shout of laughter. - -A Mrs. Loudan tells us of a case of the same kind, but with a different -audience from the cat. It is told of Father Casaubon, a priest, who had -a favorite Barbary ape that grew very fond of him and tried to follow -him wherever he went. One day, when he set out for church, the ape in -some way got loose and followed him unseen. When the church was reached -the ape slipped in and climbed up to the sounding-board, where he lay -quiet till the sermon began. - -While the reverend father spoke, the ape perched itself just above his -head and watched his actions, and soon began to imitate the gestures -made by him. The congregation could not help smiling and tittering at -this. Casaubon scolded them severely for their behavior, suiting his -actions to his words, while the monkey imitated all his movements in a -very amusing manner. - -At this the congregation could not keep still, but broke into a roar of -laughter, in which the angry priest joined when its cause was pointed -out to him. He took good care that his ape should not attend church -again. - -These are perhaps enough of this sort of stories, though there are one -or two others which you may care to read. One is of a painter who, on -going into his studio, saw his pet monkey seated before his nearly -finished picture, with brush and painting implements in hand, laying -on the colors with a free touch that made bad work of the artist's -masterpiece. - -A second has to do with an English vicar and his family, who came home -to dinner one Sunday after the morning service. On entering the dining -room they saw the table-cloth, which had been laid for dinner, spread -out smoothly on the floor, with all the plates and dishes, knives and -forks, laid upon it in a way that showed how well the lesson had been -learned. Beside it sat the pet monkey, with a look of satisfaction that -showed it was very proud of its work. - -A monkey, in fact, knows very well when it has done a thing as it -should be done, and likes to be praised for it. I cannot say that they -always get praise, certainly not for jobs like those just told, in -which the element of mischief is mixed with that of good work. - -But when we talk of the intelligence of animals we must admit that the -monkey goes ahead of the dog, cat, or other household pet. Certainly -none of these would think of a piece of work like that, laying the -table-cloth on the floor and properly placing on it all the table ware. - -Many monkeys have such a grave and quiet way of doing things, and look -at us with such bright and meaning eyes, that we are brought to think -that if they could talk they would have something to say worth hearing. -In fact, there are people who think they could talk if they chose. -There is the story of the Southern slaves who thought they showed their -wit in not talking, since if they did they would have a hoe put in -their hands and be set at hoeing. - -A traveller, writing about Java, tells us something of the same sort. -He speaks of a sultan who had a well trained corps of monkeys and -apes. "The orang-outangs and long-armed apes," he says, "had been -trained to go through a variety of military exercises; and when one of -us expressed surprise at their seeming intelligence the Sultan said -gravely: 'They are as really _men_ as you and I, and have the power of -speech if they chose to use it. They do not talk because they do not -wish to work and be made slaves of.'" - -The Malays in all the islands believe this and in their language -orang-outang means "man of the woods." - -Certainly monkeys can be trained to act very much like men. Mrs. Lee -tells us of one that has been taught by a Frenchman to act in a very -polite fashion. One day she met this monkey as he was on his way up -stairs. He made way for her very politely and stood on one side to let -her pass. - -"Good morning," she said, and he took off his cap and made a low bow. -"Are you going away? Where is your passport?" - -At this question he took a square piece of paper out of his cap and -showed it to her. - -His master, who was following Mrs. Lee, now told him that the lady's -dress was dusty. He at once went to the man, took a brush out of his -pocket, and raising the hem of Mrs. Lee's dress, brushed it and did the -same with her shoes. - -But while monkeys can be trained to do some surprising things, they are -not all alike. Some can be taught easily and some not at all. Darwin -tells us of a man whose work it was to train monkeys to act, and who -bought them from the Zoölogical Society for twenty dollars apiece. He -offered double the price if he might keep them for three or four days -so as to pick out a good one. - -When asked how he could tell this in so short a time he said that what -he wanted was a monkey that would pay attention. If when he was talking -to one he could not keep its attention, but it turned aside to look at -a fly on the wall or other trifle, it was of no use. To force such a -monkey to act by whipping would only make it sulky. But a monkey that -gave him close attention when he was talking or showing it something -could always be trained. - - [Illustration: A Pair of Midget Donkeys Driven by a Baboon and Groomed - by a Monkey] - -Any one who pays attention can be taught, whether boy, monkey, or dog. -As long ago as 1753 this was shown in London in the case of the monkey -and the dog. In that year everybody in London was going to see and was -talking about "Mrs. Midnight's Animal Comedians." This was a troupe of -trained dogs and monkeys who were taught to dance a ballet, dressed as -ladies and gentlemen. This they did very neatly and cleverly. - -But their great act was when, dressed as soldiers, they took part in a -mock battle. A fort was built on the stage which was defended by the -monkeys and attacked by the dogs. Everything was done as in regular -battle. The dogs carried ladders and tried to climb them and capture -the fort. The monkeys, armed with muskets, fired on them and the air -was full of smoke and the smell of powder. - -After a hard fight the dogs took the fort. Then the monkeys dropped -their muskets, the smoke cleared away, and both parties were seen drawn -up side by side, waving their hats, while the band played "God save the -king." - - - THE KINDS OF MONKEYS - -The stories we have given about monkeys are only a few of the many that -might be told, and it is well to give some more to show that monkeys -think and act, up to a certain limit, very much as we do ourselves. - -But you must bear in mind that there are many kinds of monkeys, some -with good and some with bad tempers and some with much better brains -than others. When we talk of the house dog and cat, the horse and -cow, it must be remembered that each of these is a single species -of animal. But when we talk of the monkey we have to do with a whole -family of animals, of a great many different species. - -Thus there are New World monkeys and Old World monkeys which differ so -that we can always tell them apart. One curious thing about the New -World monkeys is that they all live in trees and have long tails, which -they can use in such a way that they seem to have five legs. They twist -their tails firmly around the limbs of trees and swing about, leaving -their legs, or arms, free to help them in other ways. There is nothing -like this in the Old World monkeys. Some of these have no tails. Others -have long tails, but none of them have learned how to use these as -ropes to swing on from tree limbs. - -All monkeys have thinking powers, which they show in various ways, but -the best thinkers among them are those known as man-like monkeys. This -is the meaning of the name we give them, that of Anthropoid Apes. They -are the highest members of the monkey family, and are like men in a -good many ways. They have no tails, are of large size, and can stand -and walk upright if they want to--though they do not often want to. - -Their arms are longer and their legs shorter than ours are, and they -live much in trees, where they have to use both feet and hands in -getting about. So, when they come down to the ground they also use -their arms to help them get about. They do not walk on four legs in the -way of most other animals, nor on two legs in the way of men, but move -in a jumping fashion, putting their hands to the ground and jumping -through them. This looks like an awkward way of travelling, but they -can get over the ground pretty fast, for all that. - -A fact of much interest is that the bones, the muscles, and the -blood-vessels of these animals are exactly like those of man, except in -size. And the same may be said of their brains. These are smaller than -a man's brain, but they are very much like it in all other ways. The -weak point of these brains lies in their small size. They seem to think -in the same way as we do, but they come to the end of their thinking -powers when we are just past the beginning. - -There are four different kinds of man-like apes, known as the Gorilla, -the Orang Outang, the Chimpanzee, and the Gibbon. Of these the first -two are large animals, the gorilla being larger and stronger than a -man. It is a savage brute, too wild and fierce to be tamed, but this -is not the case with the orang, which can easily be tamed and is very -teachable. - -These two are solitary creatures, living by themselves, but the -chimpanzee, which is smaller, is very fond of company, and lives with -its fellows in the woods, leaping about among the trees in a very -sportive fashion. The gibbons are much smaller than the others, but -have very long arms. When they stand erect their hands nearly reach the -ground and they may be seen at times walking in the same way as we do, -but holding their arms above their heads. If disturbed in any way down -come their arms and they run away in the same manner as the other apes. - -The gibbons are gentle and easily tamed and have often been kept -as pets. They are less intelligent than the others, and it is the -chimpanzee and the orang which can best be taught man's ways when kept -as man's companions. Many tales could be told of the smart doings of -those tamed apes and it will be well to give a few of them. - -Buffon, a famous French naturalist, tells us of a tame chimpanzee which -always walked on its hind-legs, even when it had a heavy weight to -carry. The chimpanzee does not do this in the woods, but this one was -in company with man and learned to walk in the same way as man. Buffon -goes on to say: - -"I have seen this animal present its hand to conduct the company to the -door or walk about with them through the room; I have seen it sit at -table, unfold its napkin, wipe its lips, make use of a spoon or fork -to carry its victuals to its mouth, pour out its drink into a glass, -touch glasses when invited, go for its cup and saucer, carry them to -the table, pour out its tea, sweeten and leave it to cool, and all this -without any other instigation than the signs or commands of its keeper -and sometimes even of its own accord. It was gentle and inoffensive; it -even approached you with a kind of respect and as if only seeking for -caresses." - -Captain Brown, the writer of a book on the habits of animals, tells us -this interesting story of a trained chimpanzee: - -"Madame Grandpré saw on board a vessel a female chimpanzee which showed -wonderful proofs of intelligence. She had learned to heat the oven; she -took great care not to let any of the coals fall out, which might have -done mischief in the ship; and she was very accurate in observing when -the oven was heated to the proper degree, of which she apprised the -baker. With perfect confidence in her information, he carried his dough -to the oven as soon as the chimpanzee came to fetch him. - -"The animal performed all the duties of a sailor, spliced ropes, -handled the sails, and assisted at unfurling them, and she was, in -fact, looked upon by the sailors as one of themselves." - -In the end of her life this animal showed what seemed a human feeling -and sense of injustice. The first mate beat her cruelly for something -in which she was not in fault and the ill-treatment seemed to break her -tender heart. She bore the blows with patience, merely holding up her -hands as if praying for mercy, but from that moment she refused to -take any food and on the fifth day she died from grief and hunger. The -sailors would have liked, if they dared, to treat the mate in the same -way he had treated the monkey. - - - WHAT MONKEYS TEACH THEMSELVES - -It may be said that much of what has been told is the result of -training and only shows that the monkey is easily taught. It does -things, it is true, which no dog could be taught to do, but it has the -advantage of having fingers and thumbs in place of the dog's paws, and -also of having learned how to use these in its forest life in much the -same way as we use them. A monkey, for instance, can use a stone as a -hammer and some of them can throw stones with a very good aim. They can -use other tools, as we shall show. - -But there is one great difference between the monkeys and the other -animals we have spoken of. Many of these can be taught to do things -we would not expect of them, but they do not often teach themselves. -Now the monkey does not wait to be taught but is constantly trying -new tricks and working them out for itself. It is the most curious of -animals, always wanting to know how things should be done, and thinking -out for itself the right way to do them. We look with wonder on a dog -when it does something that it has been taught. Should we not look with -more wonder on the monkey when it does things which it has taught -itself? I am sure you will enjoy reading some stories in this line. - - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums - - The Orang Outang in the Hands of His Keeper] - -Here is one of a tame orang outang told by the French scientist Cuvier. -This animal, he says, when it wanted to open the door of a room, used -to draw a chair from one end of the room to the other, and stand on it -to lift the latch. Another writer speaks of a monkey which, when it -wanted to lift the lid of a chest too heavy for it, used a stick as a -lever to raise it. That monkeys use stones to break open oyster-shells -has often been seen. - -Mr. Romanes tells the following story. A large monkey was kept in a -wide cage, in the centre of which was a kind of hut in which he slept. -Near this hut was an artificial tree, with a branch leading away from -the hut. If he wanted to get on this branch he could do so by climbing -to the top edge of the hut door. But this door had a bad fashion of -swinging shut whenever he pushed it open to climb up. He was seen to -try this two or three times, and then to pick up a thick blanket which -lay in his cage and throw it over the top of the door so that it could -not swing to. - -In all these cases the animal thought out for itself the best way of -gaining its end. These things were done by chimpanzees and orangs, apes -of high class, but Mr. Romanes, in his book on "Animal Intelligence," -tells of quite as strange things done by a South American monkey of -which such doings could not be expected. This he kept as a pet and -watched for many days. - -One thing his monkey never liked; that was to be laughed at; any one -that did so would be apt to be repaid for his mirth. Mr. Romanes gave -him a hammer to break his nuts with, and from the start he knew just -how to use it. - -"To-day," says Romanes, "a strange person (a dressmaker) came into the -room where he is tied up and I gave him a walnut that she might see him -break it with his hammer. The nut was a bad one and the woman laughed -at his disappointed face. He then became very angry and threw at her -everything he could lay hands on; first the nut, then the hammer, then -a coffee pot which he seized out of the grate, and lastly all his own -shawls. He throws things with great precision by holding them in both -hands, and extending his long arms well back over his head before -projecting the missile, standing erect the while." - -Every day this little fellow did something new and unlooked for, -something worked out in his own little brain. When a nut or anything -he wanted lay too far away for him to reach it, he being fastened by -a chain, he would try to draw it to him with a stick. If he failed in -this, he would take his shawl by the two corners, throwing it back over -his head and then flinging it forward with all his strength, but not -letting go the corners. If it reached far enough to cover the nut, he -would draw this in by pulling back the shawl. This is like the story -of the elephant that used its trunk to make a wind beyond anything out -of its reach, and thus blow it back. - -His chain was a constant trouble to him and he tried in every way he -could to get rid of it. When it was tied to a ring sunk into the floor, -he spent a whole day passing the chain back and forward through the -ring, and hammering it with all his strength. He went at it again the -next day and this time got the chain so tangled up that he could not -loosen it. When his master came to his aid he watched him very closely, -sometimes taking hold of his fingers and pulling them to one side that -he might see better. He would also look up into his master's face in -an intelligent way as if to ask him how he did it. After the chain was -loosened he worked at it again for hours, but took care not to twist it -into the ring a second time. - -Among the many things done by this comical little creature there were -two which showed so much monkey wisdom as to be worth telling. His nuts -were kept in a trunk which he looked upon as his own property. There -were other things kept in the trunk, but if any person opened it to get -anything out he grew very angry. It was not on account of the nuts, for -he always had plenty of these, but for meddling with his property. - -One day, when his chain was broken, he got to the trunk and began -picking at the lock with his fingers. His master then gave him the key -and for two full hours he tried to unlock the trunk. It was a hard lock -to open, being a little out of order, but he found the right way to put -the key in and turn it in the lock, every time trying the lid to see if -it would come up. Of course, he had seen others use the key and knew -how it should be used. - -The most remarkable thing done by our smart little friend was the -following: One day he got hold of a hearth-brush, one of the kind -which has the handle screwed into the brush. In his usual fondness for -experiment he at once began on the handle, and soon had it unscrewed -and out of the brush. Then he began to try and find the way to screw it -in again. - -At first he put the wrong end of the handle into the hole and turned -it round and round, always the _right way for screwing_. Then he tried -the other end, still always turning only the right way. How he knew the -way the screw should turn is a mystery. The work was a hard one, for he -had to use both hands on the handle, and the brush, with its bristles, -would not lie still. Next he tried holding it with his foot, and even -then it was not easy to get the first turn of the screw to take hold. -When this was done he turned the handle round and round until it was -fully screwed in. - -The strange thing was that, in all his efforts, he never tried to turn -the handle the wrong way; he always screwed from right to left. The -work done, he unscrewed it and screwed it in again, this time more -easily. He kept on until he could do it without trouble and then threw -it aside for some other amusement. - -Here is a case where the animal tried for himself a thing he had never -seen done, not for anything to be gained, but simply to find out how -to do it. He knew somehow the right from the wrong way, and when he -had finished he had no further use for the brush. He had learned that -lesson, solved that riddle, and was ready to try something else. - - - ANECDOTES OF THE APE - -While men like to have the monkey for a pet, the monkey imitates them -by having pets of its own. It has a fancy for this and likes to have -something or some animal under its care. It may be a doll, a guinea -pig, a white rat, or anything to which it takes a fancy. This was the -case with a monkey we are told of, which was very fond of nursing. - -His fancy in this way brought him to a sad end. Seeing a litter of -young pigs, he grew eager to have one of these for a pet. Watching -till the mother pig was at the other end of the pen he popped down and -seized one of the little grunters. With his prize he leaped to the door -of the pig-stye, but it gave way under his weight and he fell back into -the jaws of the furious sow, who with one crunch put an end to the -pet-lover's career. - -Here is another story told by the same party: "A female baboon which -I brought up in my family got hold of a kitten with the intention of -making a pet of it and mothering it, but was scratched by the scared -fondling. The monkey then made a close study of the kitten's paws, -pressed the claws forward, looked at them from above, from beneath, -and from the side, and then bit them off to save itself from further -scratches." - -This love of pets on one occasion led to a serious scene. It was in the -case of a large baboon kept on a ship on which was a lady passenger -with a baby. Not noticing that the baboon had its eye on the little -one, the mother laid it down on a bench to look at something which the -captain wanted to show her. - -In a moment the big monkey had the child in its arms and was running -for the rigging, hastened by the mother's scream on seeing the fate of -her little one. - -Clasping the baby with one arm, the nimble creature ran up to the mast -head with the aid of the other, and when the sailors started after it -ran to the head of the top mast. By this time the poor mother was being -carried to the cabin in a dead faint. - -What to do the captain did not know. He called the sailors down, -fearing that if they chased the brute it might throw the child into the -sea. But when it saw that they had given up the pursuit it set itself -to quiet the screaming child, fondling and talking to it in a very -motherly way. - -The baby by this time was in a terrible state, and the captain, at his -wits' end, at length ordered everybody on deck to go below, thinking -the monkey might come down if the coast were clear. The plan proved a -good one. On seeing that there was no one on deck, the animal descended -with its prize and laid it on the bench from which it had been taken. -It was soon in its mother's arms and the pet-loving baboon found itself -locked up as a punishment for its trick. - -Monkeys are often kept on ship board and they are not to be trusted if -there is anything they can steal. There were two of them on a British -naval ship in the West Indies, a big and a little one, both great -favorites. Dressed in uniform, they would march up and down the deck, -salute the captain, and imitate the movements of the officer of the -watch. But both were thieves, the big one stealing, the little one -hiding, and they needed watching. - -One day the captain's gold snuff-box was missing. It was known that the -monkeys had stolen it, for both of them were taken with a severe fit -of sneezing. But no one could find it, until the little one was seen -peeping into a middy's chest. Searching this, the box was found below -the clothing. - -Another theft was made while the ship was at anchor in Kingston harbor, -Jamaica. This time it was a bottle of wine, which the big one emptied -without leaving a drop for his pal, who sat and looked at him as if he -had been very badly treated. - -In a few minutes the big thief was reeling about the deck very drunk. -He jumped on the bulwarks, and seeing a shark swimming around the ship -began a great jabbering and at last jumped overboard, perhaps with some -idea of making a pet of the big fish. One snap of the huge jaws and the -drunken monkey was no more. - -The little one saw this with screams of agony. He could not be consoled -for the loss of his mate, and the next day he, too, jumped overboard -and was soon in the same place as his dead friend. - - - FEELING AND FRIENDLINESS IN THE MONKEY - -What has been said above goes to show that the monkey can think and -that it comes next to man in doing its own thinking. It goes to school, -no doubt, as boys and girls go to school, but it teaches itself also, -as may be seen in the story of the monkey and the brush-handle. But the -monkey can not only think, it can also feel, and when we tell of some -of its shows of feeling it almost seems as if we were talking about -people like ourselves. - -Here is a story that has been often told, but is worth telling again. -A man in India had shot a female monkey and carried it to his tent. -A crowd of friends of the dead animal, forty or fifty of them, soon -gathered round the tent, making a great noise and acting as if they -were about to make an attack on the sportsman. Only when he came out -gun in hand did they run away, as if they well knew the powers of that -dreadful weapon. - -But the leader of the band stood his ground, chattering away in monkey -language. When he found that his fury and his threats did no good, he -came to the tent door and began to moan in a sorrowful manner and to -make signs as if to beg for the dead body. When it was given to him he -took it in his arms and carried it away to his waiting friends. All -those who saw this sad scene vowed that they would never again fire at -one of the monkey race. - -This interesting story is only one among many. One of them has to -do with an instance where the horses of a party of travellers were -frightened by monkeys in the trees, some of the horses breaking loose. -To stop this one of the party fired at the monkeys with a load of small -shot to drive them away. One of the monkeys ran down to the lowest -branch of the tree, then stopped, put his paw to the part wounded, and -held it out covered with blood for the man to see. The sportsman says: -"I was so much hurt at the time that it left an impression never to be -effaced and I have never since fired a gun at any of the tribe." - -A few minutes later a native came in and said that the monkey was dead. -They told him to bring it in, but when he went back he found that the -other monkeys had carried off their dead comrade and none of them were -to be seen. - -Here is a case of the same kind, told by Sir William Hoste, an officer -in India. It is of a still more affecting kind. We give it as told by a -Mr. Jesse. - -"One of his officers, coming home after a long day's shooting, saw a -female monkey running along the rocks, with her young one in her arms. -He immediately fired and the animal fell. On his coming up, she grasped -her little one close to her breast, and with her other hand pointed -to the wound which the ball had made, and which had entered above -her breast. Dipping her finger in the blood, and then holding it up, -she seemed to reproach him with being the cause of her death, and in -consequence that of the young one, to which she frequently pointed." - -When Sir William was told this affecting story he, as in the other -cases cited, resolved never to shoot one of these animals as long as he -lived. - -Is not all this very human-like? The poor things, knowing that men are -stronger than they and carry death-dealing weapons, do all they can to -make them sorry for their cruelty and accuse them of murder. If they -could talk they could not say more than these monkeys did in dumb show. - -Monkeys are very fond of and tender to their young. One writer saw an -American monkey driving away the flies that troubled her infant, and -another saw a mother monkey washing the faces of her young ones in a -stream. When their young die the mothers are very apt to die of grief. -This we are told by Darwin, who further says: "Orphan monkeys are -always adopted and carefully guarded by the other monkeys, both male -and female." - - [Illustration: An afternoon chat. Observe the close attention of the - monkey and its care of its young] - -They also take care of those that are hurt. One writer tells us that he -kept a number of Gibbons in his garden, living in the trees and coming -down to be fed. One of them fell from a tree and sadly hurt its wrist. -The others at once paid it great attention, and an old female, who was -no relation to the crippled animal, fed it every day before eating any -food herself. The writer goes on to say: "I have frequently noticed -that a cry of fright, pain, or distress from one would bring all the -others at once to the complainer, and they would then condole with him -and fold him in their arms." - -Captain Hugh Crow, in his "Narrative of my Life," tells a story of this -kind which goes to show how tender the monkeys are to one another. On -board his ship were a number of monkeys, of different kinds and sizes, -among them a beautiful little one, only about ten inches long and no -larger in body than a common drinking glass. - -It was a playful little thing and a great favorite with the other -monkeys, who looked on it as the pet of the family, treating it with a -kindly feeling which they did not often show for one another. It became -sick at length, of a disease that prevailed in the ship, and then their -kindness and tenderness were doubled. He says: - -"It was truly affecting and interesting to see with what anxiety and -tenderness they tended and nursed the little creature. A struggle often -ensued among them for priority in these offices of affection, and some -would steal one thing and some another which they would carry to it -untasted, however tempting it might be to their own palates. Then they -would take it up gently in their fore-paws, hug it to their breasts, -and cry over it as a fond mother would over her suffering child. - -"The little creature seemed sensible of their kind attention, but it -was sadly overcome by sickness. It would sometimes come to me and look -me pitifully in the face and moan and cry like an infant, as if it -besought me to give it relief; and we did everything we could think of -to restore it to health; but in spite of the united attention of its -kindred tribes and ourselves the interesting little creature did not -survive long." - -Sir James Malcolm tells us of two monkeys on shipboard, one older and -larger than the other. They were not related, but merely friends, but -were very fond of each other. One day the small monkey fell overboard. -The older one was in a great excitement. It ran to the part of the ship -which is called "the bend," held on to the side of the vessel with one -hand, and dropped down to the other the end of a cord with which it had -been tied up and which was fastened round its waist. Every one looked -on with surprise at this display of monkey wit, but the cord was too -short and the little one swept by. It is pleasant, however, to be able -to say that it was saved by a sailor, who threw it a longer rope, which -it seized and was drawn on board. - -The monkey becomes as fond of its human friends as it is of those of -its own race. Often it does not like certain people, and has its own -way of showing this, but there are others whom it seems to love warmly. -This faculty does not belong only to monkeys, but may be seen in dogs -and other animals. But it is often strongly shown by the monkey. - -Darwin tells of a keeper in the London Zoölogical Garden, who one day -was attacked by a savage baboon. In the cage was a little American -monkey, a great friend of the keeper, but very much afraid of the -great baboon. But when the poor little thing saw its friend in peril -it sprang at once to the rescue and by screams and bites so distracted -the baboon that the keeper was able to escape. The little monkey quite -forgot its fear of the fierce beast when it saw its friend in danger. - -We rarely think what depth of feeling such an animal as the monkey may -have. There are cases in which none of ourselves could show greater -feeling. Here is a case in point. - -On board a war-vessel that was going to Persia was a pet monkey of the -captain, a gentle, kindly little creature that was made much of by -every one on the ship. But like all of its kind it was not free from -love of mischief. There was a goat kept on board to supply milk for the -use of a government official on the ship. One morning it was found that -the monkey had tied the goat to the tackle of a gun and milked it into -the stiff hat of a marine. - -The little culprit was caught in the act and taken to the captain, who -to punish it gave orders that no one on board should take notice of it -for a week. The loving little thing did not know what to make of this. -It went about from friend to friend, looking up to them wistfully, but -not getting a word or a kind look from any of them. It put on its most -coaxing airs, but all in vain. For two days it bore this, but on the -morning of the third, finding that it was still in disgrace, its tender -heart was quite broken. It sprang on the bulwarks, put its hands over -its head, gave one pitiful cry and leaped into the sea. It was seen no -more. - -To be fond of mischief and of playing jokes is a common trait in -monkeys as it is in boys. This likeness is shown by the tricks of boys -being called "Monkey tricks." Perhaps they would not play them if they -knew that they were putting themselves on the level of the monkey. -Stories of this tendency are common enough. Here is one told of a young -chimpanzee who bore the familiar name of Tommy, and who lived in a cage -in the Zoölogical Garden of London. - -Master Tommy did not at all approve of tricks that were played upon -himself, though he was very fond of playing them on others. Thus one -day when a carpenter had to enter his cage to make some changes the -little joker was in his element. He played all kinds of tricks on -the workman, such as pulling his hair, snatching off his paper cap, -stealing his tools, and even trying to trip him up. All the time he put -on an air of innocence and only came up when he thought he was not -seen. The moment the joke was played he retreated to the other end of -the cage, where he seemed very much interested in something else. - -In the end, when the carpenter had his back to him, Master Tommy could -not resist the temptation, but sprang on the man's shoulders and gave -him such a sound box on the ears that the keeper, who had been enjoying -the fun, had to interfere and make the little rascal behave himself. - -On another occasion Tommy in some way got a small dog into his cage, -and had the time of his life with the little victim. He pulled its ears -and tail till the dog lost its temper and began to show its teeth. At -this Master Tommy pretended to be very indignant, and lifted his hand -in a threatening way, as if to chastise doggie for his impudence. He -would do the same with children if he got a chance, pulling their hair -or clothes or scratching them. - -In fact, he was a little imp of mischief, yet had been taught to be -very neat and nice in his habits, to pick his teeth, clean his nails, -and do other acts supposed to belong to the human race. Like man also -he could walk erect, jump on his hind feet and dance in the stamping -fashion of a child a few years old, though with greater force. - -We must close our stories of monkey wit and wisdom with one that comes -from South Africa, of a monkey that acted as signal man on a railroad. -This is the story, as told in _Chambers' Journal_. - -"We had a remarkably intelligent baboon here a few years ago. He was a -giant of his species. His master and trainer had the misfortune to have -both his legs cut off in a railway accident, and on his leaving the -hospital the Cape government gave him a berth as signal man. He taught -this baboon not only to work the signals, but to place the wheels of a -little trolley on the line, and then the bed on the wheels. His master -would then seat himself on the trolley and Jocko would push him along -to his house, about two hundred yards down the line. He would then -detach the pieces of the trolley and clear them off the line. He would -also lock the door of the signal-box and take the key to his master." - - - - - [Illustration] - - VIII - - OTHER ANIMALS USED AS PETS - - -We have now gone far and near among the animals kept by man, have seen -them at work and at play, on farm and on road, in doors and out of -doors, some helping him, some amusing him, some supplying him with food -and clothes. But so far we have kept among the animals of common use. -There are others not so often kept and at some of these we must take a -passing glance before we finish our journey. - -Man, you know, is only one among many thousands of kinds of animals -which dwell upon the earth. These are found everywhere, from the hot -equator almost to the frozen poles. The most of them, of course, live -in warm regions, but away up in the seas of ice may be seen creatures -clad in thick wool and fur and finding food under the snows. So there -is hardly any part of the earth without its living beings. - -Some of these animals are so savage that man rarely tries to tame them. -The fierce lion and tiger, the ferocious grizzly bear, the huge and -stupid rhinoceros, and many others of the same wild sort are shown us -at times in menageries. But we look at them through the iron bars of -their cages. If any of them should get out of the cage we would hasten -to get out of the show. - -Even these fierce animals at times grow tame enough for men and women -to go into their cages and teach them some simple tricks. But they are -never safe to deal with, and we are always glad to see the tamers of -lions and other wild beasts come out of the cages alive. - -It is not such creatures as these that man makes use of. He has picked -out those of gentle nature, the grass eaters, not the flesh eaters. The -dog and cat, it is true, are flesh eaters, but the dog is an animal -that is easily tamed and becomes one of man's best friends. As for the -cat, it rarely becomes quite tame. Its wildwood ways cling to it still. - -Animals fitted for man's use are found in all parts of the earth, but -the tame ones mostly came from Europe and Asia, the countries in which -civilization first began. Here are the native places of the horse and -the cow, the sheep, goat and pig, the hen, duck and goose, and nearly -all the other animals found about our homes. - -There is no continent with a greater variety of animals than Africa, -but few of these have been tamed, and this mostly in the civilized -north, for the people of that continent have long been in a savage or -barbarian state, and have been hunters instead of tamers of animals. -It has been the same in America. When white men came here they brought -their home animals with them and there was no need to tame those found -in this new continent. The only ones tamed by the Indians were the dog -and the Peruvian llama, and nearly the only one added by the white man -has been the turkey. The rest of our animals, like our forefathers -themselves, came from abroad. - -Though we have dealt with the chief animals kept by man, for use or as -pets, there are many others which have been at times tamed and made -into friends and comrades, and it may be well to speak of such of these -as seem of most interest. - -Men and women have a natural love for pets and sometimes pick out very -odd ones. You know what the flea is--or if you do not know it is all -the better, for the flea's way of making itself known is by biting. Yet -even these small pests have been taught to do things, such as being -harnessed to little carriages, which they drag about in a way to please -those who are near enough to see them. - -A strong little insect is the flea. It can leap, we are told, two -hundred times its length, while few of us can jump twice our length. -And it can pull a heavy weight for a creature of its size. But it is -not tamed nor taught. It is simply tied fast and pulls to get loose, -and in this way draws its carriage. So to talk about learned fleas is -to talk nonsense and most of us would be satisfied if there were no -such thing as a flea. - -There are other insects which man has at times taken under his care, -the ant, for instance, and some others. But these also are not tamed, -they are simply studied and made use of in various ways. When we talk -of taming animals we must come to those of a higher order, such as the -birds and the four-footed creatures. We speak at times of the fish -being tamed, but this is only from its losing its fear of man and -taking food from his hands. It has not brain power enough for much more -than this. - -Yet man at times makes a pet of the fish, which he keeps in the little -table pond called the aquarium as he keeps his bird pets in the cage, -and of these fish pets a few words may be said. - - - PETS OF THE AQUARIUM - -The aquarium is a very pretty piece of furniture for the lovers of -animal life, for a variety of water-living things can be kept in it -alike for study and pleasure. Plants are needed of various kinds, to -give beauty to the collection and keep the water in a fit state for the -fish, for animal life and plant life need to go together. The plant -gives off oxygen for the fish to breathe. - -There are a number of other small animals kept in the aquarium, such as -the tadpole, the water-beetle and several kinds of fresh-water snails. -But it is the fish that gives life and action to the parlor pond. -Swimming in its little lake, now up, now down, darting nimbly about, -with its bright scales glistening in the sun, it is always a pretty and -attractive object. - - [Illustration: - - From D. M. Smith's Japanese Gold Fish - - The Fantail. The Japanese have had wonderful success in changing the - form of the gold fish] - -A favorite among all cage-fish, if I may so call the pets of the -aquarium, is the gold fish, with its bright golden scales, flashing as -it darts about. This fish is of Chinese origin and belongs to the carp -family. It is apt to vary, not only in color but in its fins and tail, -the fins being sometimes double and the tails at times triple. Some of -them change till they look very odd, and have long, wide, lace-like -tails, strange but pretty. Some of the gold fish lose their color and -grow white and are then known as silver fish. - -The common carp is not as handsome as its cousin, the gold fish, and is -apt to grow too large for the aquarium. Those who choose to keep it -may have it all their lives and leave it to those who follow, for it is -said to live from one hundred to two hundred years. - -There are many other fish well fitted for the aquarium, such as the -gudgeon, the roach, the tench, and the perch. But the perch can be kept -only while young and small, as it is a fish eater and has an appetite -that will soon leave it few of the other fish for company. - -One must not forget the minnow among the dwellers in the glass house. -This little, lively fellow is well fitted to live in close quarters and -no fish does better in the home fish-pond. It is a pretty little thing, -with olive back and silvery belly, which sometimes becomes bright red. -After a little time the minnow will grow very bold and tame enough to -come to the edge of the tank at the sound of a familiar voice and take -its morsel of food from between the thumb and finger. - -Among the fish kept in the aquarium must be named the stickleback, the -nest-builder of the fish tribe. This little fish resembles the bird in -building a nest, laying its eggs in it, and watching them with great -care until they are hatched out. The stickleback is a pretty little -fellow, but, like the perch, not safe to keep among other small fish, -as he has the bad habit of feeding on them, so that he soon has the -aquarium to himself. - -Dr. Lankaster says of him: "He has all the ways of other fishes and -many others besides. Look into your tank; see, there is one larger than -the rest; he is clothed in a coat of mail like a knight of old, and it -is resplendent with purple and gold. He is a male fish and the king of -your little shoal. He has important offices to perform. In the course -of a few days, if you watch him and are fortunate, you will see this -wonderful little fish engaged, in the most useful manner, in building a -nest. - -"He seizes hold of one little bit of weed, then of another, and carries -them all to some safe corner, till at last his nest is built. Having -done this, he gently allures his mate to their new-made home. Here she -deposits her eggs, and having done this resigns the care of them to -our hero of the purple and gold, who watches over them with an anxiety -that no male in creation but the male stickleback seems to know. He -fans and freshens the water with his fins, and at last, when the young -are hatched, watches over their attempts at swimming with the greatest -anxiety." - - - SNAKE CHARMERS - -From the fish let us turn to the snake, a gliding creature without -limbs and without joints. It is much like one of the fishes, the eel, -in shape, but not in anything else, while no other animal is so much -feared and hated by man. We hate this creeping reptile from the fact -that a few species of snakes carry a deadly poison in their teeth, -and the strongest of men, bitten by one of these, has often only a few -minutes to live. - -It is this that makes man a bitter foe of the snake and quick to kill -any one he sees, whether it has a poisoned tooth or not. He fears it -and hates it and has made up his mind that he and the snake are not fit -to live together on the same earth. - -This is not fair to the snakes, for only a few of them are poison -bearers. Most of them are as harmless as rabbits and can be handled as -safely. But the cry of "a snake" is almost as bad as the cry of "a mad -dog," and even so gentle a little thing as the garter snake has usually -a short lease of life if seen by man or boy. - -Not quite everybody has this foolish fear of all snakes, the good -and the bad alike, for there are some who make pets of them. And -snakes thus petted become very tame and grow fond of those who take -care of them. This is the case even with the huge python and the -boa-constrictor, the greatest of all snakes. They are not poisonous, -but when they wind their body in strong coils around an animal, even -one of good size, they can soon crush the life out of it. - -Many stories might be given of tame snakes and it may be well to quote -one of these as told by Mr. Romanes in his "Animal Intelligence." He -had it from Mr. Severn, an artist, who tells of a call he made on -a Mr. and Mrs. Mann, two snake-lovers who were much blamed by their -neighbors for keeping these crawling creatures. - -When Mr. Severn called he was asked by Mr. Mann if he was afraid of -snakes. He said, in a timid way, "No, not very," and his host took out -of a cupboard a large boa-constrictor, a python, and a number of small -snakes, which at once made themselves at home on the writing table -among pens, ink and books. - -Mr. Severn's eyes opened very wide when he saw the two big snakes -looking at him with their bright eyes and thrusting out their forked -tongues, and they opened wider still when he saw the great serpents -coil round and round the body of his friend. But when he found that -they were very tame and would do no harm he lost his sense of fright. - -After some time Mr. Mann went out to call his wife, leaving the boa on -an arm chair. The other snakes were put away. The visitor now began to -feel rather queer, the more so when he saw the great serpent creeping -slowly towards him. He was glad enough when Mr. and Mrs. Mann came in, -bringing their two children. The lady and the children went at once -to the boa, called it by loving names, and let it twine itself around -them. We give the rest in Mr. Severn's own words: - -"I sat talking for a long time, lost in wonder at the picture before -me. Two beautiful little girls with their charming mother sat before -me with a boa-constrictor (as thick round as a small tree) twining -playfully round the lady's waist and neck and forming a kind of turban -round her head, expecting to be petted and made much of like a kitten. -The children over and over again took its head in their hands and -kissed its mouth, pushing aside its forked tongue in doing so. - -"The animal seemed much pleased, but kept turning its head towards me -with a curious gaze, until I allowed it to nestle its head for a moment -up my sleeve. Nothing could be prettier than to see this splendid -serpent coiled all around Mrs. Mann while she moved about the room and -when she stood to pour out our coffee. He seemed to adjust his weight -so nicely, and every coil with its beautiful marking was relieved by -the black velvet dress of the lady.... The snakes seemed very obedient, -and remained in the cupboard when told to do so. - -"About a year ago Mr. and Mrs. Mann were away for six weeks and left -the boa in charge of a keeper at the Zoo. The poor reptile moped, -slept, and refused to be comforted, but when his master and mistress -appeared he sprang upon them with delight, coiling himself around them, -and showing every symptom of intense delight." - -Is not this a pretty story of snake taming! Others might be told, for -these animals, like others, learn to know and love those who care for -them and treat them well. - -Would you like to know something more about these great snakes? Many -stories are told of them, but the trouble is that these are not all -true. Thus we are told of pythons forty feet long and able to kill and -swallow a goat or antelope, horns and all. The fact is, that they are -never seen more than twenty feet long, usually little more than ten. -And though they can kill a goat or antelope, they cannot swallow any -animal larger than a small dog. - -The python and the boa-constrictor are much alike, but they do not live -in the same countries, the python dwelling in the Old World and the boa -in the New World. They lurk near water, hiding in the bushes or in the -trees, where they are ready to seize small animals that come to drink. -These they slowly swallow. Winding their tails around the limb of a -tree, they can hang down and seize any animal passing beneath. - -But it was not these big snakes, but the doings of the snake charmers, -I set out to talk about and to this I must return. We hear of snakes -being charmed as we hear of forty foot pythons, but the fact is that -there seems to be no charming of the snake at all. When the snake goes -through what is called "dancing" one would suppose it had been trained. -We know that this is not the case from the fact that the moment a snake -has been captured a snake-charmer is able to make it "dance." - - [Illustration: - - Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museum - - Hindu Snake Charmers with the Deadly Cobras] - -What is called the snake dance is a natural habit of the cobra, which -raises its head and one-third of its body above the ground and sways -about in the air while the charmer is playing on his pipe. The cobra -has poor sight and poor hearing and certainly no ear for music. What it -lifts itself in this way for is a chance to strike its enemy. It can -strike only with the part of its body that is lifted up and this the -charmer knows and can easily keep out of reach. - -The cobra is a very deadly serpent. It kills thousands of persons every -year in India with its fatal bite. Yet it can be tamed and taught to -make itself at home. It can even be made to take the part of a house -dog. At any rate Major Skinner, an English officer in India, tells us -this snake tale: - -"In one family near Negombo cobras are kept as protectors in the place -of dogs, by a wealthy man who has always large sums of money in his -house, and this is not a solitary case of the kind.... The snakes glide -about the house, a terror to the thieves, but never attempting to harm -the inmates." - -So it seems that even the deadly cobra is not as black as it is -painted, but can be tamed and made a friend of by man. When the -snake-charmer wants a new snake he plays on his pipe near places in -which serpents are apt to hide, and the cobra and other snakes come out -and are caught. Sometimes the poison fangs are drawn out of the snake's -jaws, but often they are not, the charmers knowing how to avoid being -bitten. If bitten, they know how to take care of a bite. - -Here is a story told by a Mr. Reyne, who tried to learn the truth about -the snake charmers. He made one of these men go with him into the -jungle, after finding that he had no snakes hidden under his clothes. -As these Hindus wear very little clothing, this was easy to do. - -In the jungle was a tall ant-hill in which Mr. Reyne knew that a large -cobra made its home. Here the man played his pipe, and soon the cobra -came gliding out, as if charmed by the music. Mr. Reyne goes on to say: - -"On seeing the man it tried to escape, but he caught it by the tail and -kept swinging it around until we reached the bungalow. He then made it -dance, but before long it bit him above the knee. He at once bandaged -the leg above the bite and applied a snake-stone to the wound to draw -out the poison. He was in great pain for a few minutes but after that -it gradually went away, the stone falling off just before he was -relieved." - -Thus it may be seen that a snake can be made to dance the instant it -is caught and before it can have any lessons in dancing. The dancing -is only a movement made by the serpent when it is alarmed and rises to -defend itself. - -As for the taming of snakes, it is not very hard to do. The snakes must -get used to the sight of man by seeing them often, as when kept in a -cage where people pass or stop to look in. And when thus used to see -man, they may be handled freely at all times except just after a meal. -But those who handle them must be careful not to touch their necks or -tails, for these are tender parts of the snake. Thus treated, they -soon grow tame. Of course, some are much more savage than others, and -any one who wants to own a tame snake had better leave the poisonous -kinds alone. - - - THE MONGOOSE AND OTHER SMALL ANIMALS - -As I have now told the story of the snake, it is well to give a little -time to one of the snake's chief enemies, the little weasel-like animal -known in Egypt as the Ichneumon and in India as the Mongoose. Larger -than a cat, but with a long, slender body, and very quick in its -movements, the ichneumon is death to snakes. I cannot say that it is -proof against the snake's bite, but it jumps about in so lively a way -that the snake gets no chance to bite it, and when it once gets its -teeth in the snake's hide it soon puts an end to his career. - -This little animal is also death to crocodiles. But you must not think -that it deals with the crocodile as it does with the snake. The fact -is that it is very fond of the crocodile's eggs, and by digging these -out of the sand and eating them it is of much use in cutting down the -crocodile crop. - -It is easily tamed and becomes a house pet, doing much to keep the -house free from rats and mice. Its worst fault is that it loves poultry -and is hard to keep out of the chicken coop. The ichneumon has a pretty -fashion of squatting down and eating out of its fore-paws like a -squirrel. When it sleeps it coils up into a round ball, with its head -and tail under its belly. - - [Illustration: The Mongoose. The Deadly Foe of Snakes and Rats] - -The mongoose is a little smaller than the ichneumon, but it is like it -in other ways. Not many years ago some of these animals were brought to -the island of Jamaica, where rats in the sugar-cane fields were giving -the planters a great deal of trouble by gnawing the cane. For a time -all went well. The mongoose went for the rats and soon these gnawers -grew very few. The planters thought they had done a good thing in the -way of saving their sugar-cane. - -In time the mongoose was to be seen everywhere and hardly any rats were -left. Then the hungry little strangers had to look for food elsewhere -and found it in the poultry-yard. The chickens began to follow the -rats. Nowadays the planters look on the mongoose as a worse pest even -than the rat and would like very much to get rid of their late friend, -who makes it very hard to keep chickens and any kind of poultry. They -would be glad to find some animal that would serve the mongoose as the -mongoose served the rat. - -A very tamable little creature is the mongoose, and a very active one -also, for it is never still for a minute except when asleep. It is not -always hungry, like some other tame animals, but soon gets enough food. -But when it does want something to eat it wants it badly and will walk -around on its hind legs in man-like fashion after its keeper, and climb -up his body till he gives it the food and drink it needs. - -The mongoose always wants to know. He must have his nose in everything -he sees. He is all the time looking for something new. He would make a -good scholar if sent to school. We are told of one that had his doll, -his pet rabbit, his toy monkey, all stuffed, and these he played with -till the stuffing all came out. If they were stuffed again he would -go back to his play. One day he was given a Japanese paper snake and -he went for that snake as if it was a live one. First he bit it in -two. Then he bit the halves into quarters. Before he let the snake go -there was not a piece left big enough for a bite. The little chap knew -somehow that he was a born snake killer. - -When he could find nothing else to do he would climb into the window -and view with delight all that went on outside, the cat, the dog, the -horse, the milkman, everything. A game of tennis would hold him quiet -for hours, for he was fond of ball play himself and very good at it. -When he could find nothing to do or to see he would wander about like a -lost lamb, and as a last resort would coil up in his master's lap and -go to sleep. - -He had no fancy for being locked up in a cage, as had to be done at -times, and he let people know this. If a friend of his came into the -room where he was caged he would begin to cry like a cat, his voice -growing loud and shrill if no notice was taken of him. In a minute more -he would be flying around the cage in a fury, tearing up his bedding -and flinging it to all quarters. If this had no effect his voice would -sink into a wail of despair which it was hard to resist. - -But the instant he was taken out all his rage and grief were at an end. -He would cuddle up in his master's arms, lay his head lovingly on his -cheek and coo and crow away in deep delight. - -Leaving the mongoose, we may take a look in upon some other four-footed -creatures that make good pets. Among these are such as the chameleon, -the odd lizard that has the power to take on a new color whenever it -gets tired of the old one; the armadillo, which wears a coat of mail -and can roll itself up into a ball that no teeth can bite into; the -hedgehog, another little creature that rolls up into a ball with sharp -spines sticking out on all sides; the porcupine, that does the same -thing and has much longer spines; in fact, almost all kinds of small -animals, even those we call house vermin, the rat and the mouse. - -We might fancy that pet-lovers would draw a line at rats and mice, but -these have often been tamed, at least the white rat and mouse, which -some people like for their color. The rat makes a better pet than the -mouse, for it is very quick-witted, while the mouse is apt to be dull. -Among animal stories there is one we are told about a white rat that -seems worth telling. - -The owner of this rat found it to be clean, loving and very lively. -Like all rats it had the habit of laying up a store of food for future -use, and when it found a supply would never stop till it had carried it -all away. It was funny to watch it. If a plate of biscuits was put upon -the table with no one near by, it would carry them away, one at a time, -till not a biscuit was left. They would all be taken to its nesting -place, across the room, and laid away for future use. - -If it got hold of a hunk of bread too heavy to carry up to its elevated -nest, this did not stop its work. It would sit on the floor and gnaw -the bread into small bits, carrying those up one at a time. It was fond -of warming itself before a coal fire, and seemed to take the fancy that -coal was a good thing to have, for it carried it off a piece at a time -till it had a store of this hard stuff a foot wide and five or six -inches deep. - -Very likely many of you have read about how rats will carry off eggs, -even taking them down stairs without an egg being broken. It takes two -rats to do this, one passing the egg down to the other on the step -below. They have even been seen to take eggs up stairs. One rat catches -the egg between its fore-paws and its head, and gets up on its hind -legs, passing it up to the other, who catches it in its fore-paws. Then -they go up another step and keep at this till the top is reached. They -are very fond of oil, and when they find bottles of oil have a cute way -of their own to get it. First gnawing off the cover, the rat sticks its -tail down into the oil, pulls it up well covered, and licks off the -oil. Sometimes they take turns, each handing down its tail for another -rat to lick. You may see from this that the rat is a very wide-awake -little nuisance. - -The tame rat we have been speaking of died in good time and a hedgehog -became his master's next pet. Have you ever seen a hedgehog? Some of -you have, no doubt; but for those who have not I would say that it is a -little creature that lives in a hole in the ground or in trees or rocks -and comes out at night to feed on mice, frogs, insects and such like -prey. - -The hedgehog is about a foot long and six inches high, with small black -eyes and sharp-pointed head. The odd thing about it is the fact that -where most animals are covered with hair this one is covered with -spines, hard and sharp, like little thorns. These grow to be about an -inch long and there are muscles in the back that cause them to stand up -and stick out in all directions. - - [Illustration: The Common Hedgehog with his Battery of Spines] - -When a dog gets busy about a hedgehog, it does not try to run away. All -it does is to roll itself up into a ball, its head and tail meeting -over its lower parts and its spines sticking up all around. When the -dog gets these into his nose a few times he is apt to lose his taste -for hedgehog meat. He may roll the animal about with his paws, but that -does no good, and he soon goes away with sore head and paws, leaving -the hedgehog to unroll and make its way back to its burrow. - -When taken home and fed it soon becomes very tame and friendly. It -can be handled with safety, for when it is not rolled up its spines -lie flat along its back, so that its friends can stroke its back and -scratch its nose without harm. These it likes to have done. When it is -put on a table it does not a bit mind taking a dive to the floor, for -it rolls up so to fall on its spines and thus is not hurt. - -A tame hedgehog is a good thing to keep in a garden or kitchen, for it -helps to clear the one of worms and the other of roaches and sometimes -will catch and kill a rat. It is not afraid to attack snakes, even -poisonous ones like the viper. The poison does not seem to do it any -harm. - -I have spoken of the armadillo as a pet and as an animal that rolls -itself into a ball like the hedgehog. Instead of spines, it has a -covering of hard, bony plates, which cover the whole body, even the -tail. When it rolls itself up it is like a hard stone and can laugh -within its coat of mail at the enemies which roll it about but cannot -get in. - -The armadillo is an American animal, and is found in our country in the -state of Texas. It goes south from there through Mexico and on to South -America, where it is found everywhere. It lives in large numbers in the -woods and on the great grass plains. In its food and habits it is much -like the hedgehog, and like it burrows in the ground. To do this it has -very strong claws, and these it can use to defend itself when it takes -a fancy to fight. - -The same person who kept the white rat I have spoken of also had a pet -armadillo, though the two were not very good friends. The armadillo was -very quick in its motions and the first time it saw the rat it went -for it like a lightning flash. The rat was one of the kind of vermin it -fed on in its natural state and it thought here was a good chance for a -feast. In a minute it had the rat driven into a corner where there was -no hole or hiding place and where it stood up as if praying with its -paws in the air. In a minute more the armadillo would have made mince -meat of the rat with its sharp claws, but its master just then came to -the rescue, and saved his pet rat. - - [Illustration: The Three-banded Armadillo. An Animal in a Coat of - Mail] - -In the end he punished the armadillo by making a little wagon in which -he made it draw the rat about as a passenger. - -His armadillo, he tells us, was a famous sleeper, lying asleep about -twenty-three hours out of the twenty-four. But in its wakeful hour it -was very active and lively. It loved to lie before the fire, but if -turned over on its back and scratched it grew furious. It could not -turn itself back again much easier than a turtle. - -The one thing that threw it into a panic was a sudden noise. If, for -instance, the poker was thrown down, the scared animal would make a -bee-line for its home, and if it missed the mark would tumble around -in a fright till it found the entrance to its cage. When it got used -to the noise of the poker any other noise would set it off in the same -way, and it never got over its panic at a strange and sudden noise. - -So many kinds of animals have been tamed at times that I cannot speak -of them all. But I must not forget our familiar little friend, the -squirrel, one of the prettiest and liveliest of tree-dwellers. To see -him seated, with bushy tail curled up over his back, and gnawing away -at a nut held between his fore-paws, is to see one of nature's most -charming sights. And he is a tameable little creature, easy to keep and -to feed, and very pleasing in his ways. - -There are many kinds of squirrels, but all of them may be tamed. -They need a cage of good size, and a usual feature of the cage is a -revolving wheel or cylinder of zinc wire, a sort of tread-mill in which -the active little fellow may take all the exercise he wants, making it -spin round at a great speed. He needs a snug little ante-room, to which -he may retire when tired of his wheel. Any kind of nut will be welcome -as food, and even a stale crust of bread or a bit of boiled potato, -all of which he will gnaw in his funny way. - - [Illustration: A Friendly Gray Squirrel] - -Many stories of tame squirrels could be told. Here is one which we owe -to a Captain Brown. I give it both for its neatness and its odd ending. - -It is of a tame squirrel that used to run up its master's leg and pop -into his pocket whenever it saw him getting ready to go out. As he -went through the streets it would keep in his pocket, sticking its -head out in a saucy way to took at people passing. As soon as the -outskirts of the town were reached and trees and bushes became common, -out of the pocket it would pop, down the leg it would scramble, and up -the trees it would climb, nibbling away at the bark and leaves. If its -master started on, down it would come and climb back to his pocket. If -a cart or carriage came by it would hide till they had passed, for it -was timid with any one but its master. - -It was not a good friend with the house dog and this seems to have been -bunny's fault, for he had a fashion of his own of teasing the dog. If -it lay down and went off into a snooze, down would come the squirrel, -scamper over its body, and dart off to its cage again before the dog -had time to growl or snap. - -This squirrel--or it may have been another squirrel which had the same -fancy of hiding in its master's pocket--had one night an adventure in -which it served its master as well as any watch-dog could have done. -The gentleman who kept it used, when he came home at night, to hang -his coat behind one of the downstairs doors. This made a neat sleeping -place for the squirrel, who would climb up to the pocket, taking some -tow with him for bedding. - -One night, after the family and the squirrel alike had gone to bed, -a burglar made his way into the house and began to peer around for -plunder. Seeing the coat hanging on the door, he began with that, -putting his hand into the pocket. In an instant he drew it out again -with a cry of pain. He had got a sudden bite from the squirrel's sharp -teeth. At the noise the man of the house sprang up, seized a poker and -ran down stairs. He was in time to capture the burglar, who was just -climbing out of the window. - - - HAWKING OR FALCONRY - -Perhaps you have read enough about tame animals of the four-footed -kind. At any rate it will be well to turn now to the two-footed kind, -the birds, and talk about a kind of sport in which birds have been used -for many centuries. Nowadays, when one of us goes hunting, we take our -shot-gun or rifle, with the dog for companion, and bring down the game -with a bullet or load of shot. But long ago, before the gun was known, -there was another way of catching game, and of this I wish to speak. - -It is called Hawking or Falconry, and is a very old sport in which the -falcon or the hawk was used to take game. It is still in use in some -countries, but in old times falconry was the favorite sport of kings -and nobles, many of whom spent much of their time in the field, hunting -smaller or weaker birds by aid of the strong and swift falcon or hawk. - -This kind of sport began very long ago, no one can say how long, it -being common in Asia long before it was known in Europe. And it is -common in some parts of Asia still. - - [Illustration: A Hooded Peregrine Falcon. Its eyes are covered by the - hood until the game is in sight] - -Bishop Stanley says: "About two thousand years ago ancient writers -speak of hawking as a common sport. People used to go out into the -marshy grounds and beat among the reeds and bushes for small birds, and -as these flew away hawks were let loose in pursuit, and when the game -fell to the ground, either through fright or struck by the hawks, men -ran up and secured them. - -"In China it is a favorite sport with some of the mandarins to hawk -for butterflies and other large insects with birds trained for that -particular pastime. In India the Goshawk and two other species are -taught to keep hovering over the hunters' heads and when deer and other -game start up, they dart down and fix their claws upon its head and -thus bewilder it until it is secured. A certain sultan kept a corps of -seven thousand falconers." - -The Arabians used the falcon to hunt the goat. When a rock goat was -seen on a mountain the falcon would be let loose and would fly like -an arrow straight for the animal, lighting on its back and fixing its -talons in its throat. It held fast until the huntsman came up to the -weakened animal and cut its throat, the falcon being paid for its -service by drinking the blood. - -Falconry is still common in Persia and is much spoken of in the poetry -and stories of the Persians. One of these stories is worth telling, -both from its being a very pretty one and from its being like a famous -story of ancient Wales. In the Welsh story, which we have in a fine -ballad, Prince Llewellyn had a faithful dog named Gellert which he left -in charge of his infant child. During the absence of the prince a wolf -entered the house and was attacked and killed by the dog. When he came -home he saw the cradle upset and blood all over the floor, and thinking -that the dog had killed his child he plunged his sword into its side. A -minute later he saw the child safe under the cradle and the wolf lying -dead. He was sorry enough when he saw this, but all he could do was to -build a monument over his faithful dog. - -Stories like this were common in the past, with other animals than the -dog and the wolf. In old Persia it was the hawk and the snake. We are -told of a Persian king who went out hunting with his favorite falcon -on his wrist. After a time a deer started up and was pursued by the -falcon, and was in time brought down and killed. - -In chasing it, the king had left all his people in the rear and now -found himself alone. He was also hot and thirsty and finding some water -trickling down a mountain side, he filled his cup with it, but very -slowly, as the water came down only in drops. He was about to drink it -when the falcon struck the cup with its wings and spilt the water. - -Vexed at this, the king filled the cup again and once more raised it to -his lips. Again the falcon flapped its wings and the water was spilled. -This made the king so angry that he flung the bird to the ground and -killed it on the spot. - -At this moment one of his attendants came up and the king, who was too -thirsty to wait again until the cup was filled drop by drop, gave it to -the man and told him to climb up and fill it at the spring. The man -did so, but as he came down he saw a large serpent lying dead with its -head in the water, into which a poisonous foam flowed from its lips. -When he came down and told of what he had seen the king was deeply -grieved, for he had killed the faithful bird which was seeking to save -him from death or danger. - -Coming now to later times we find that hawking made its way from Asia -into Europe very long ago. Denmark was a famous place for this sport in -the far past and it was common in France and England at least as early -as the 10th century. The kings of those countries grew very fond of it. -When Edward III. of England went to fight in France he took with him -thirty falconers and hunted or hawked every day, and Henry VIII. at one -time nearly lost his life when out hawking. In recent times it has died -away in great part, but is still practiced in some countries. - -Such is the history of hawking. Now a few words may be said about -the practice. The birds used belong to two classes, the long-winged, -dark-eyed falcons and the short-winged, yellow-eyed hawks. The falcons -used are the Gerfalcon, Peregrine, Hobby, Merlin, and some others. The -hawks used are the Goshawk and the Sparrowhawk. The falcons take their -prey by rising above it in the air and darting down upon it. The hawks -fly in a straight line and take it by their great speed. - -The taming of these birds is a slow process. It was of old the custom -to fasten jesses or soft leather straps round their legs and hoods over -their heads. A line fastened to the strap kept them from flying away. -They were taught to rest and feed on the gloved hand of the trainer and -also to make short flights to a "lure," a piece of wood on which food -was placed. They were drawn back by the cord tied to the jesses. In -this and other ways the birds were taught, and in time could be trusted -to fly free and come back to the huntsman's hand. - - [Illustration: Leg and Foot of Falcon Showing the Method of Attaching - the Fastening] - -When the hawkers went abroad on a hunt, gay was the show and lively the -sport. On horseback, carrying the hawks on their wrists, the gallant -company rode briskly away, all of them dressed in fine robes and the -hawks also richly "dressed." The bird might have around its neck a -collar of gold filagree and over its head a hood of the finest silk, -with a plume of colored feathers on top. Little tinkling bells, those -of finest sound, hung from the leather leg rings, and the glove on -which the bird sat was often spangled with gold, and sometimes adorned -with jewels. - -While the hood was on the bird would not move, but when the hood was -taken off and it saw the prey it was eager to fly. Here is the story of -a hawking party as late as 1825. This party set out in the afternoon, -riding towards a place frequented by herons--a large, strong bird with -which only the strongest falcons could deal. There were four couples -of birds, all of the kind known as Peregrine falcons. Each bird had a -small bell on one leg and a leather hood, with pieces of red cloth in -it to cover each eye. - -After some time a heron was seen near at hand. At once the hoods were -taken from the heads of two of the falcons and as soon as they had seen -the bird they were let loose. Away they flew after the heron, but a -crow chanced to cross their track and one of the birds started to chase -this, while the other kept on. - -When it came near the heron it flew in circles until it was far above -it and at length came pouncing down and struck its prey on the back. -Down came the two birds, tumbling from a high point to the ground. By -this time the crow had escaped and the second falcon came flying up, -just in time to see the other falcon and the heron falling. At this -instant a rook flew across and the second bird struck at him, bringing -him to the ground not far away from the other game. - -Up now dashed the falconers, held out the lure, on which was a live -pigeon, and secured the game while the birds were making a meal upon -the pigeon. Two other herons were taken by the other falcons and the -day's sport closed. Such was a scene of hawking in the 19th century. In -olden times the game was often much more exciting than this. - - - - - [Illustration] - - IX - - WILD ANIMALS IN MAN'S SERVICE - - -You must by this time think that there is hardly any kind of animal -upon the earth that man has not at some time kept as a friend or -a captive. Of course, we mean the larger animals, the quadrupeds, -reptiles, birds, and fishes, not the vast hordes of insects and the -still lower animals. Of these there is only one, the honey-seeking bee, -that has been made to work for man, but of the large animals many more -than those spoken of have served him in some way or have been captured -and caged for his pleasure. - -All the large cities have their Zoölogical gardens, where wild beasts -of many kinds are kept on show, and in villages and small towns and -cities the travelling menagerie carries such wild creatures around -where everyone may see them. - -Here, in strong cages, we may look at the lordly lion, with its -splendid mane, and its gaping jaws, filled with cruel teeth, and the -tiger, fierce and sly, pacing round and round its narrow cage on silent -feet, and at times stopping to glare with savage eyes at the lookers -outside. It may have seen and made a meal on such beings in its native -wilds. - -Then there are the snarling hyena, the spotted leopard, the wild-eyed -wolf, the American panther and wild-cat, the growling bear, and many -others. Greatest among these are the huge and savage rhinoceros, the -ugly river-horse, or hippopotamus, and the noble elephant. - -These are only a few of the animals that are kept for show, among them -many of the tameable ones, as the playful monkey, the slender deer or -antelope, the large elk and moose, the wolf, raccoon, opossum, kangaroo -and many others of the smaller animals. - -Man is able to make friends of the most of these. In fact there are -daring men and women who are ready to go into the cages of the fiercest -of these beasts and make them go through the tricks they have been -taught. They have been even found bold enough to put their heads into -the lion's mouth. This is always a foolish thing to do, and sometimes -it has ended in the lion's closing his great jaws and smashing the -man's head as one would smash an egg-shell. - -With all this we are not here concerned. It is only the animals that -serve us as friends and helpers that we are dealing with. But man at -times makes use of certain creatures that usually are only seen in a -wild state, so it is well to say something of the wild animals that at -times are made to serve us in some way. - - - THE DANCING BEAR - -You have seen, no doubt, the dancing bears, clumsy, ugly brutes that -men lead around the country, visiting the summer resorts, and making -the animals go through some awkward movements on their hind legs, which -they call dancing. - -This is not a sign of any great sense in the bear. To get up on his -hind legs is a common habit of this lumbering fellow. Many hunters who -have made the bear angry have found this to be the case. When it wants -to fight up comes the bear on its hind feet. It is not like a prize -fighter, using its fore-legs to spar with; though it can strike a blow -that will hurl the strongest man to the ground. But what it tries to do -is to get its fore-legs round the man and give him a hug. When a bear -hugs, he means business. It is not a tender embrace, but a bone-cracker -that few men can stand. - -The bear is an easy animal to tame. The common brown bear I mean, not -the savage grizzly bear, which no one would think of trying to tame, -except when young. When a bear is tamed it shows itself a docile animal -that will not hurt any one who treats it well. - -As for the learned bears, their learning does not amount to much. It -takes no special teaching to get them on their hind legs or to prance -around in a clumsy fashion. Yet the bear is not wanting in brain -powers. It is really an animal of much intelligence and very teachable. - - [Illustration: Grizzly Bear Cub. The Young of all Animals, Even of the - Fierce Grizzly, can be Tamed by Kindness] - -It shows this in various ways. I have told you how the elephant gets -hold of a piece of food by blowing back of it with his trunk, and -how the monkey does the same thing by throwing his shawl over it and -drawing it in. The bear has a way of his own of doing the same thing, -as the following anecdote will show: - -It is the story of a bear at the Zoo, to which some one threw a bun. -The bun fell into the bear's bathing pool, out of his reach. The animal -could have got it easily by going into the water, but did not just then -want to wet his feet and in his wise head thought out another plan. He -put his paw into the water and began stirring it up till he had a sort -of current going round the pond. When one leg was tired he put in the -other, moving it in the same direction, and kept this up till the bun -came swimming round within reach. - -There are other stories of the same kind and they go to show that the -bear has good thinking powers. He certainly knew that by making a -current in the water he could cause the bun to float up within reach -of his paws. It is not likely that this bear had ever done the thing -before or seen it done, so he had to think it out for himself. - -There is a very interesting thing to say about wild animals which will -fit in well at this point. As a rule they only want to be let alone, -and if man would quit hunting them many of them would become as tame as -the cows and sheep in our fields. There is much proof of this, some of -it very late proof. - -After the Yellowstone National Park was set aside as a national -pleasure ground orders were given that none of the wild animals of the -park should be shot. You may think that these wild creatures could not -find this out, but they soon did. Thus we are told that the elks, the -great deer of the mountains, are very alert and timid outside the park -boundary, but when they have crossed this and come into the park they -grow very bold and independent. They have learned that the crack of the -gun which means death on one side of the border is not heard on the -other, and have taken in this lesson. - -As for the bears, they are fearless of man when inside the park, and -come up close to the hotels and other buildings as if they looked upon -these as part of their lunch route. It is the same with the other wild -animals. They seem to know. - -We hear of the same thing from East Africa. No one can shoot at game -within a certain distance on each side of the East African Railway. -That is the law and the wild beasts have come to know it. Travellers on -that road tell us that crowds of wild animals can be seen on both sides -of the road, antelopes, zebras, ostriches, deer, and the like, looking -with curious eyes as the train goes by but not trying to get away. - -This was not the case in the past, when people could shoot at them from -the train. No one has posted up a bulletin in beast language telling -that a treaty of peace had been signed between man and beast. But there -stands the fact. These innocent creatures have lost all their old fear -of the railway train. They seem to have told one another. - -This is not the case with such dangerous brutes as the lion, the -leopard, the hyena and the rhinoceros. These do not come within the -terms of the treaty of peace. Travellers are free to shoot at them. As -a result you do not see them among the animals that welcome the train. - - - THE SEAL AND THE ALLIGATOR - -So far we have been talking of land animals, those that live, eat and -breathe on solid ground. If we turn to the sea, we find it the native -abode of the fish and of many animals lower than fish in nature's great -family. And it is of interest to find that some land animals have gone -back to the great world of waters, part of them to live there all the -time, part to share their time between land and sea. - -Among the first of these is the mighty whale, much the largest of -living beings; also the porpoise, the dolphin, and other air-breathers -that live in the ocean. Chief among those that spend their lives in -part on the land are the seals. And these are the only animals of the -land-sea kind that have ever been tamed, so we must say a few words -about the seal. - -There are many kinds of seals, some of them, like the sea-elephant -of the southern seas, being very large. Others are small. All are -splendid swimmers, their arms and hands acting as fins or oars, with -which they can make their way very swiftly through the water. The ocean -is their dining hall, in which a great dish of fish is ever ready for -them, but their home is on island shores, where their young are born -and brought up till they are able to swim. - - [Illustration: The Harp-seal Afloat on the Ice] - -The kind of seal to be talked of here is that known as the Common Seal. -This is the easiest to tame. It is found in the Arctic seas and comes -down the coasts of Europe as far south as the Mediterranean and the -coasts of America as far south as New Jersey. - -This little fellow, along with some other species, is very intelligent. -Where they are not hunted they will come very close to boats and to men -on shore. They have a fondness for music and will follow a boat for -miles if a flute or some other instrument is played. The ringing of the -churchbell of the little town of Hoy, in the Orkney Islands, has often -brought a great many seals into the bay, drawn there by the bell tones. - -Seals that have been taken and tamed are very gentle and docile, and -will live long if they have water to bathe and swim in, and fish to -eat. They like to be taken notice of and caressed, come like dogs when -their names are called, and can be easily taught many little tricks, so -that learned seals are often put on exhibition. - -When taken young and brought up in a household the seal acts as if it -felt itself to be one of the family, and likes much to lie and warm -itself in front of the fire. It grows very fond of those who care for -it, showing a tender and loving nature. - -We are told of one that would follow its master about like a dog, -eating from his hand and lying by his side when he sat before the -kitchen fire. It would also nestle close to the dog, with which it had -made friends. When anyone came into the room, up would go its head to -see who the newcomer was. But it never tried to bite dog or stranger. - -The winter after this young seal was taken was cold and stormy, so that -it was not easy to catch fish enough to feed the family and the seal. -They tried giving it milk, but it took so much of this that in the end -the family could not afford to keep it and decided to set it free and -let it fish for itself. - -Taking the little thing--it was very young--into a boat, they rowed out -to sea, and when far enough from land tossed it overboard. But they -were not going to get rid of their pet seal so easily as this. It swam -after the boat, crying in so pitiful a way that they could not bear the -tone and in the end took it on board again. Thus it was brought back to -the house and lived there several months more before it took sick and -died. - - [Illustration: The Savage Florida Alligator] - -There is a story very like this of another seal that its owners tried -several times to get rid of. They failed to do so, the knowing creature -always finding its way back. At one time it even crept into the room -through an open window and made its way up to bask by the fireside. - -While it is not strange that the seal can be easily tamed, we should -not look for such a thing in so savage an animal as the alligator, -the most feared and hated of the animals found in the waters of our -Southern States. Yet even this ferocious reptile can be tamed, as the -following story will show. - -The alligator in question was taken when very young, before its wild -nature had shown itself, and was fed and attended to by its master, -of whom it became very fond. It grew so tame that it would follow him -about the house like a dog, even scrambling up and down stairs after -him. - -But the funny thing about this comical pet was that its chief friend -was the cat, and that pussy returned its friendship. When the cat lay -drowsing before the fire, the alligator would crawl up, lay its head on -her back, and go to sleep in this position. It seemed happy whenever -the cat was near, but grew very restless if its furry friend was away. - -Raw flesh was fed to it and sometimes milk, which it liked very much. -At night, in cold weather, it slept in a box, with wool for it to -nestle in. But one night there came a sharp frost and the little guest -was forgotten. The next morning the native of warm climates was found -frozen to death. - - - THE STORK, CORMORANT AND ALBATROSS - -It would take many pages to tell about all the wild animals that have -at times been tamed by man or made to serve him in various ways. As -it is, we must confine ourselves to a few, and have selected the three -water-birds named above all of which have been of service to man in -some way. - -The Stork is not a tame bird in the sense of being kept about the -household, but it has so long been taken care of and laws made to -protect it, that it has grown very familiar and may be seen walking -about the streets of Holland, even among crowds of people, without a -show of fear. No one wants it for food, for its flesh is not good, and -it does so much service by eating frogs, snakes and other troublesome -animals, that every one feels friendly towards it. - -It also struts about in the market places and keeps them clean -and fresh by eating all the offal. Thus it plays the part of the -turkey-buzzard of our Southern cities, which is taken care of for the -same reason. - -The Common Stork of the Old World countries is a large bird, -long-legged and long-necked. It is pure white in color, except that -the wings are partly black and the bill and legs are red. It sleeps -standing on one leg, with the neck folded and the head turned back on -the shoulders. If alarmed, as when a dog comes near, it makes a loud -snapping noise with its bill. - -The stork spends the winter in Africa and flies back in the summer -to Europe, where it is very common in Holland and North Germany. Its -feeding place is in the marshes, where it wades about, eating the -frogs and other small animals to be found there. It is very fond of -eels and will follow people about the streets who feed it on this -favorite morsel. It has a way of asking for food by nodding its head, -flapping its wings, and blowing the air from its lungs. - - [Illustration: The Stork in its Feeding Grounds] - -Of a mild and peaceful disposition, the stork has long been much cared -for and a halo of romance clings round it, coming down from ancient -times. This arises from its devotion to its young, which brings it -into esteem in various countries. It builds its nest on the roofs or -chimneys of houses or the steeples of churches, the nest being a bunch -of sticks, reeds and other debris. In the ruined cities of Asia a -stork's nest may be seen on the top of nearly every standing pillar. - -In Holland and many other parts of Europe it is common to put a box -on the roof for the stork, and when the inmates find that a stork has -built in their box they are glad, for they think it will bring good -luck to the family. When a new baby comes to the household, children -are told that the stork has brought it out of the well, and thus the -young grow to like the stork. Four or five eggs are laid in the stork's -nest, of white color tinged with buff, and the birds are apt to come -back to the same nest year after year. - -The stork not only shows great fondness for its young, but is also -thought to take much care of its aged parents. Whether this is true -or not, it adds to the affection people have for this bird. When the -summer is over and it is time to fly south, the birds gather in large -flocks as if to talk the matter over. The stork, indeed, has no voice, -but it makes a great clatter with its bill. The meeting over, the flock -flies off for the far-away tropics, the birds rising very high and -making a loud rushing noise with their wings. They are gone, to be seen -no more until the next summer is at hand. - -Now let us take up the story of the Cormorant, one of the web-footed -swimming and fishing birds, of which so many kinds dwell about the -waters of the world. They belong to the same family as the pelicans, -but while the pelican has a great net, or fish basket, under its lower -bill, the cormorant has only a small one, not big enough to hold many -fish. - - [Illustration: The Cormorant, the Fishing Bird of China] - -The cormorants are great fish-eaters, so much so that it is common to -call any large eater a cormorant. There are many species, some small, -some large, living on the shores of islands and in some cases along -rivers. - -The way in which this bird is of service to man is in its being tamed -and trained to catch fish for him. This used to be done in England and -is still done in China. How it is done may be told in a few words. - -The bird is easily tamed by the Chinese fishermen and is trained by -them for its new duty. While being trained a string is tied to its leg -so as to control its movements. Then small fish are thrown out and -it springs after them. In time it learns to go into the water when a -whistle is given and to come back when it hears a different whistle. -After three or four weeks of this training the bird is ready for duty -and no longer needs a string to hold it. - -The birds become in time as docile as dogs and obey every order of -their masters. When put regularly to work a small ring of hemp is tied -around their throats, so that they cannot swallow large fish. When the -fisherman rows out into the water the birds sit quietly on the side of -the boat until they get his orders. Then into the water they dash and -usually come up with a fish, which they bring to him. - -If one comes up with a fish too large to handle, another bird, -sometimes several birds, will come to his aid and help him to land -the prize. Sometimes one of them takes a lazy fit and swims about the -water, paying no heed to business. Then the fisherman shouts at the -idle bird and strikes the water with his oar, keeping this up till it -dives for prey. - -At the end of the day's work the ring on the bird's neck is loosened or -taken off and some of the fish are given it or it is allowed to fish -for itself. Like the stork, the cormorant is very fond of eels, and -when one of them comes up with an eel there is often a fight between -two or three of them for the prize. - -There is another bird on our list, the Albatross. It has never been -tamed and cannot be said to be of service to man. At least I can name -only one instance. In this case the bird is said to have been used to -carry a message from shipwrecked sailors, telling where they could be -found and asking for help. I cannot say whether this story is true or -not, but it leads us to say something about this famous bird of the -waves. - - [Illustration: The Albatross swooping over the ocean waves] - -The albatross is a wonderful flyer. It is the largest of the web-footed -birds, being four feet long and with a wing spread of from ten to -seventeen feet. It seems to float or glide on the air rather than fly, -hardly moving its long wings except when rising from the water. - -It often follows ships for a long time; day after day, some people say, -but this is doubtful. No ship can outsail it and it is said to be able -to fly as much as eight hundred miles in a day. Sailors often fish -for it with a baited hook, but find it hard to haul in, as it often -draws out the hook or breaks the line. But a bait of blubber is very -attractive and in a few minutes the same bird will take the hook again. -Only by catching a fish in some such way as this could a message tied -to its legs by shipwrecked sailors be found. - -Sailors have long had a superstition about shooting the albatross, -fearing that it would bring ill luck to the ship and its crew. All who -can do so would do well to read Coleridge's famous poem of the "Ancient -Mariner," in which the men who "shot the albatross" brought terrible -misfortune to the ship and all on board. - - - THE HONEY-GIVING BEE - -There is only one other animal of which I shall speak as a servant or -aid of man, this time an insect, the well-known hive bee, which every -one of you must have seen, and like enough many of you may have felt, -for this little fellow has a very "hot foot." - -The bee cannot be called a _tame_ animal. Although it lives with man -and under his care, it does not know this but fancies that it is -working for itself alone. And the honey which man gets from it is laid -up by the busy bee for its own use. It has no notion of working for -man, but is robbed by him of its sweet stores. - -Among all the wild animals that are of service to man this little -humming insect stands first. Nimble, active, always at work, always -singing over its work, the happiest of the working class, it keeps -itself busy through all the season of flowers in gathering honey from -their cups and carrying it to store away in its neat cells of wax. It -is a winter store of food it is laying up. By good fortune the bees are -able to collect more than they need for their own use, so their keepers -can take part of it and still leave the little workers enough to live -on the winter through. - -The bee has been working in this way for man during long ages. Go far -back in time and you will find writers telling about the bees and their -ways. The Greek and Roman writers tell us much about them,--some of it -fancy, some of it fact,--and within later times these useful insects -have been much studied and written about. - -I do not propose to tell the story of the bee, for it is much too -long a one to be given in this place. All I need speak of here is the -service it renders to man. There are many varieties of bees but only -one, the hive bee, is of interest to us in this story, for it is the -only one that works for us. - -What we do for the bee is to supply it a home to live in, a cage or -hive in which it may dwell, take care of its young, and lay up a store -of its sweet food. How all this is done is very interesting. There is -nothing in nature more neatly built than the waxen comb of the bee, and -no prettier dish for our tables than a comb full of the golden honey. -And there is nothing which most of us like better to eat. So it is the -comb of the bee that I shall speak of here, rather than the bee itself. - - [Illustration: An Opened Bee Hive Showing the Clustering Bees] - -The bee goes abroad for honey, but the wax which it uses for the comb -is formed in its own body. It comes out from a sort of wax-pocket in -the lower part of the body, is scraped up by the legs and carried to -the mouth. Here it is well chewed and then laid on the floor for the -use of the comb-builders. - -From this wax the bees build a series of six-sided cells, laid side by -side, some of them to hold honey, others as cradles for the young. They -are fastened to the walls and hang downward. It is well to say here -that there is only one egg-layer in the hive. This is called the queen -bee. The others are workers and drones. The workers store up food, the -drones (the male bees) do nothing but eat it. This the workers let -them do while the summer lasts and food is plenty, but they do not let -them spend the winter in the hive, eating the food which they have not -helped to gather. When the summer season is over they drive the drones -from the hive and sting them to death. - -Is there a lesson for us in this habit of the bees? They have no room -in the hives for those who do no work, and kill them on the spot rather -than let them starve or freeze. While we could not do a thing like -this, it might be well if everybody was made to work for the food they -eat, as the bees do. - -Now let us come back to the waxen cells, built so neatly and packed -into the hive so closely that no man could do it better. Some of these, -as I have said, are cradles for the young; some are store-houses for -food. The queen bee is a wonderful egg layer. For every egg laid by the -hen she will lay several hundred, each in a cell of its own. From the -egg comes a little maggot, which feeds on the honey and pollen given it -till it swells into a fat little worm. Then it builds around itself a -cocoon of fine silk, in which it lies hid while it is going through the -process of changing from a worm into a bee. In the end it comes out a -winged insect, ready to take its part in the business of the hive. - -Egg-laying is the work of the queen; food gathering is that of the -workers. As soon as warm weather comes and blossoms open on bushes and -trees, the bees may be seen at work, visiting flower after flower and -sucking up by aid of the tongue the sweet juice to be found in so many -flower cups. This is partly used for food, but much of it is stored in -the honey bag of the bee to be carried to the hive and laid away in the -honey cells. - -As the season goes on new plants bear blossoms, so that all through -the blossom season the busy bees find plenty of their sweet food. -Another thing they collect is the pollen of the flowers. This clings to -the hairs of the body while they are at work in the blossoms, and is -cleaned off by the jaws and feet, a little honey being mixed with it. -In this way little pellets are formed which are used as food for the -young. On this rich food the little ones soon grow fat. - -Another thing gathered by the bee is a sticky substance called -_propolis_. It is used as a cement, to varnish the combs and stop up -all holes. The bees carry this home on their legs and the workers in -the hive clean it off and use it while it is soft to cover up all weak -spots. - -I have said that the wax is formed in the body of the bee. The same may -be said of the poison. This flows into the sting, and by its aid the -bee is able to defend itself, not only against its natural enemies, but -against artificial ones, like meddlesome boys. But the sting is barbed, -so that the bee often fails to draw it back after using it. Thus the -sting is pulled from the body and the bee dies from the wound. - -For long ages men have kept bees, making hives for them. Every season -new swarms come from the old hives and are brought in various ways to -start fresh colonies in new ones. Hives have been made of many things, -often of straw, which was long used in England. To get the honey from -these the bees were first killed by the fumes of sulphur. It seems a -cruel thing to kill them in order to rob them, and it is not now done. - -In our country the straw hive has never been used. The hives now in use -have frames on which combs may be built and filled with honey and then -drawn out, leaving the lower combs for the bees' own use. There is a -process by which the honey can be drawn from the combs without breaking -them in any way, so that they may be filled again by the bees. As in -this case they do not have to make new combs the active insects can -soon fill the old ones again. - -Little more remains to be said. There are certain flowers which yield -honey of fine flavor, such as those of the heather, the white clover, -the buckwheat, the rosemary and the orange-flower. In ancient times the -most famous honey was that of Mount Hybla in Sicily and Mount Hymettus -in Greece. In our own days the countries in which bee-farming is -carried on most largely are the United States and Canada, and of this -country, Southern California is the paradise of the beekeeper. - -On some bee farms are from two thousand to three thousand hives and it -is said that as much as seven hundred pounds of honey have been taken -from one hive. Thus this little buzzing insect is one of the most -active and able of the animals that help to feed and serve us, and with -the busy bee we may close our list of man's Animal Friends and Helpers. - - - - - INDEX - - [Illustration] - - - A - - Albatross, the, 333, 334 - - Alderney cattle, 139 - - Alligator, the, 326; - story of a tame one, 327 - - Alpaca, the, 111, 113 - - Anecdotes of the dog, 29-39; - of the cat, 49-51; - of the horse, 82-85; - of the mule, 85; - of the elephant, 121-132; - of the pig, 174; - of song-birds, 225, 226; - of the parrot, 232-236; - of the raven, 236, 237; - of the jackdaw, 238-240; - of the crow, 240, 241; - of the starling, 241-246; - of the monkey, 250, 255, 257, 259, 262, 263, 266, 267-282; - of snakes, 291; - of the squirrel, 307-309; - of the bear, 321; - of the seal, 325, 326 - - Angora cat, the, 48 - - Angora goat, the, 165 - - Angora rabbit, 52 - - Animals of the household, 13-15; - of the earth, 283-285; - of the aquarium, 286 - - Animals, varied uses of, 133 - - Apes, man-like, 260-262 - - Aquarium, pets of the, 286 - - Arab horse, the, 66, 79-81 - - Arabia, falconry in, 311 - - Arabian camel, 104, 109 - - Armadillo, the, 300, 304; - as a pet, 305, 306 - - Ass, the wild, 87-88 - - Astrakhan fur, 155 - - Aylesbury duck, 189 - - Ayrshire cows, 139 - - - B - - Bactrian camel, 104, 109 - - Bantam fowls, 183 - - Bear, the, 319; - intelligence of, 321; - in Yellowstone Park, 322 - - Bee, the, 334; - habits of, 335; - combs and honey, 336; - cell building, 337; - labors of, 338; - hives and swarming, 339; - the honey harvest, 340 - - Beef, American, 141 - - Big-horn sheep, 152 - - Bird of Juno, 206; - bird of Venus, 208 - - Birds, trick, 229, 230 - - Bison, the, 97 - - Blackbird, the English, 226; - anecdotes of, 226, 227 - - Boa-constrictor, the, 290-293 - - Brahma fowls, 179 - - Buffalo, the, 96; - as a worker, 98-99; - habits of, 99-100 - - Bulbul, the, 228 - - Bull, the, 134 - - Bull-fighting, 145-149 - - Bullfinch, the, 224; - anecdote of, 225 - - Burro, the, 89 - - Butter, 137; - making of, 140 - - - C - - Cage-birds, 217, 218 - - Camel, the, 103; - its fitness for desert life, 105, 106; - as a worker, 107; - intellect of, 109; - uses of, 110 - - Canary, the, 218; - habits of, 219; - song of, 220; - breeds of, 221 - - Carabao, the, 98, 99 - - Caribou, the, 101, 102 - - Carrier pigeon, the, 211-213 - - Cashmere goat, the, 164 - - Cat, habits of the, 42, 45, 46; - ancient, 23; - treatment of, 43, 44; - origin of, 44; - cat and mouse, 45; - cat and dog, 46; - varieties of, 47-48; - anecdotes of, 49-51 - - Cat-bird, the, 224 - - Cattle, 134; - wild, 135; - colors of, 136; - uses of, 136-141, 145; - in United States, 143; - in other countries, 144 - - Chameleon, the, 300 - - Chamois, the, 159 - - Chariot races, ancient, 70-71 - - Cheese, 138, 141; - from sheep, 155; - from goat, 160 - - Chicken, uses of the, 176, 180 - - Chimpanzee, anecdote of the, 263 - - China, hawking in, 311 - - Chinese pig, the, 172 - - Christmas goose, the, 192 - - Christmas turkey, the, 195 - - Cloven-hoofed animals, 92-132 - - Cobra, the, 293; - as a house guard, 295; - charming of, 296 - - Cochin-china fowls, 179 - - Cock, morning call of the, 176, 177; - its fighting habits, 182 - - Collie, the, 22 - - Cormorant, the, 331; - fishing with, 332 - - Cow, the, 134; - uses of, 135; - milk-giving, 136, 138, 139; - in United States, 142 - - Creameries, 140 - - Crow, thefts of the, 240; - anecdote of, 241 - - Crows, the monkey and the, 252, 253 - - - D - - Deserts of Asia and Africa, 102, 103 - - Dick Turpin's horse, 65 - - Dog, man's friend, 15; - anecdotes of the, 29-39; - eulogy on the, 39-41 - - Dog wit and wisdom, 29 - - Dogs, ancient, 16; - origin of, 17; - kinds of, 19; - hunting, 20; - working, 21; - sheep, 22; - cur, 23; - watch, 24; - pet, 24-29 - - Domestic animals, origin of, 284; - in America, 285 - - Donkey, the, 86, 88 - - Dove, the, 207 - - Dromedary, the, 108 - - Duck, habits of the, 186; - food of, 187; - the young, 188; - where kept, 189 - - Dutch rabbit, 53 - - - E - - Egg-harvest, the world's, 181, 182 - - Elephant, the, 117; - taming of, 178; - as a worker, 119, 120; - caution of, 121; - mental powers of, 124, 131; - anecdotes of, 124-132 - - Eskimo dogs, 21, 113-117 - - Eulogy on the dog, Senator Vest's, 39-41 - - - F - - Falcon, the, 309; - legend of, 312; - varieties of, 313; - taming of, 314 - - Falconry, 309; - in ancient times, 310; - in Asia, 311; - legend of, 312; - mediæval, 313; - method of, 314; - a modern instance, 315 - - Famous men, pets of, 60 - - Fat-tailed sheep, the, 153 - - Ferret, the, 56, 57 - - Fishes, aquarium, 286-289 - - Flea, the learned, 285 - - Foes of animals, 92-94 - - Foot of the horse, 63 - - - G - - Game-cock, the, 182-183; - cock-fighting, 184-186 - - Gellert, the faithful, 311 - - Gerfalcon, the, 313 - - Giant goose, the, 191 - - Giant rabbit, 54 - - Gibbon, training of the, 262 - - Goat, the, 158; - its climbing habits, 159; - where kept, 160; - grazing habits of, 161; - its mental powers, 161; - its uses, 162-165; - hunt of, 131 - - Goat-skins, uses of, 163 - - Gold-fish, the, 287 - - Goose, food of the, 189; - egg-laying of, 190; - strength of, 191; - anecdote of, 191; - uses of, 192 - - Goshawk, the, 313 - - Great Dane, the, 25 - - Grosbeak, the Virginia nightingale, 228 - - Guinea-fowl, the, 198; - its habits, 199 - - Guinea-pig, the, 57 - - - H - - Hawk, the, 309; - kinds of, 313; - taming of, 314 - - Hawking, 309-316 - - Hedgehog, the, 58, 300, 302; - as a house pet, 303 - - Hen, vocal powers of the, 178 - - Hermit-thrush, 229 - - Holstein cows, 139 - - Home comrades, 13-15 - - Hoof, the horse's, 63 - - Horse, the, 61-82; - anecdotes of the, 82-85 - - Horseback riding, 71 - - Horse-breaking, 78 - - Horse tamer, the, 77, 78 - - Horses of the steppes, 64, 65; - of Persia, Arabia and Russia, 66; - of Western Europe, 67; - of America, 69; - anecdotes of, 82-85 - - Hounds, varieties of, 20 - - Hunting horses, 73 - - - I - - Ibex, the, 159 - - - J - - Jackal, the, 18 - - Jackdaw, talking powers of the, 238; - anecdotes of, 238-240 - - - K - - Kangaroo, the, 59 - - - L - - Lapland reindeer, the, 101 - - Llama, the, 111-113 - - - M - - Magpie, talking powers of the, 238 - - Malay cat, the, 48 - - Manx cat, the, 47 - - Mastiff, the, 24 - - Mavis, the, 229 - - Merino sheep, the, 154 - - Milk, 137, 141, 162 - - Minnow, the, 288 - - Missel-thrush, the, 229 - - Mocking-bird, the, 222; - imitative powers of, 223, 228 - - Mohair wool, 165 - - Mongoose, the, 297; - in Jamaica, 298; - as a house pet, 299, 300 - - Monkey, organ-grinder and, 247; - as a pet, 248; - fondness of, for mischief, 249, 280; - revengeful spirit of, 250-253; - powers of imitation, 253; - anecdotes of, 254, 255, 270-282; - intelligence of, 256, 260; - varieties of, 259; - self-teaching of, 264-270; - feeling and friendliness of, 273 - - Mule, the, 85, 90, 91 - - - N - - Newfoundland dog, the, 25 - - Night, noises of the, 176 - - Nightingale, the, 228 - - - O - - Orang-outang, intelligence of the, 266 - - Organ-grinder's monkey, the, 247 - - Ostrich, the, 214; - farms of, 215; - feathers of, 216 - - Otter, the, 58, 59 - - Ox, the, 94 - - - P - - Parrot, the, 230; - intelligence of, 231; - talking powers, 231; - anecdotes of, 232-236 - - Peacock, the, 204, 205; - habits of, 206 - - Peary and his dogs, 115-117 - - Pekin duck, the, 189 - - Peregrine falcons, 313, 315 - - Persian cat, the, 48 - - Philippine cock-fight, a, 185 - - Pig, character of the, 165-168; - food of the, 168; - how kept, 169; - flesh of, 170; - uses of, 172; - mental powers of, 173 - - Pigeon, the, 209; - bird of Venus, 208; - nest building of, 209; - habits of, 210; - kinds of, 211-213 - - Plymouth Rock fowls, 180 - - Ponies, Shetland, 67; - Scandinavian, 68; - Greek, 69 - - Poodles, the, 28 - - Porcupine, the, 300 - - Pork as food, 170; - fondness of the Romans for, 171; - where now eaten, 171; - American yield of, 172 - - Pouter pigeon, the, 211 - - Prairie dog, the, 60 - - Pug, the, 24 - - Python, the, 290, 291, 293 - - - Q - - Quagga, the, 90 - - - R - - Rabbit, the, 52-56; - varieties of, 53; - care of, 55 - - Race-courses, 71 - - Racing horse, the, 70-73 - - Ram, fighting powers of the, 150 - - Rat, the Jamaican, 298; - as a pet, 301, 302; - egg and oil stealing, 302; - armadillo attack on, 304 - - Raven, talking powers of the, 236; - anecdote of, 237 - - Reindeer, the, 100-102 - - Rouen ducks, the, 188 - - - S - - Seal, the, 323; - taming of, 325; - anecdotes of, 325, 326 - - Sheep, the, 149, 150; - uses of, 151, 154-156; - habits of, 152, 153; - where kept, 153, 154 - - Sheep dog, the, 22 - - Shepherd's dog, story of the, 36 - - Shetland pony, the, 67 - - Single-hoofed animals, 61-90 - - Skylark, the, 227 - - Snake-charmer, the, 293, 296 - - Snake-dance, the, 293 - - Snakes, 289; - poisonous kinds, 290; - taming of, 291, 296; - charming of, 293-296 - - Song-thrush, the, 229 - - Southdown sheep, the, 154 - - Spain, bull-fights in, 145-149 - - Spaniel, the, 27 - - Sparrowhawk, the, 313 - - Squirrel, the, 306; - anecdotes of, 307-309 - - Starling, whistling and talking powers of the, 241; - anecdote of the, 242-246 - - St. Bernard dog, the, 25 - - Stickleback, the, 288, 289 - - Stork, the, 328; - habits of, 329; - nest building of, 330; - popular affection for, 330 - - Swan, beauty of the, 199; - varieties of, 200; - American species of, 200; - habits of, 201; - eggs and nests of, 202; - anecdote of, 203 - - - T - - Terriers, 26, 29 - - Trotting-horse, the, 72 - - Tumbler pigeon, the, 211 - - Turkey, species of the, 194; - its habits, 194; - where kept, 195; - a Christmas dainty, 195; - in France, 196 - - Turnspit, the, 38 - - - W - - War-horse, the, 74-75 - - Weasel, the, 58 - - White rat, a tame, 301, 302, 304 - - Wild animals in captivity, 317, 318; - treaty of peace with, 322 - - Wild-hog, the, 165, 166 - - Wild-horse, the, 62 - - Wild-turkey, habits of the, 193 - - Wolf, the, 17 - - Wood-thrush, the, 229 - - Wool, origin and use of, 151; - shearing of, 156; - uses of, 157, 158 - - Working-horse, the, 75-76 - - Wyandotte fowls, 180 - - - Y - - Yak, the, 95 - - Yellowstone Park, wild animals in, 322 - - - Z - - Zebra, the, 89 - - Zebu, the, 96 - - -Transcriber's Note: - -Spelling and punctuation errors have been silently corrected. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Home Life in All Lands--Book -III--Animal Friends and Helpers, by Charles Morris - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOME LIFE IN ALL LANDS--BOOK 3 *** - -***** This file should be named 62537-8.txt or 62537-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/5/3/62537/ - -Produced by MFR, Karin Spence and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Home Life in All Lands--Book III--Animal Friends and Helpers - -Author: Charles Morris - -Release Date: July 1, 2020 [EBook #62537] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOME LIFE IN ALL LANDS--BOOK 3 *** - - - - -Produced by MFR, Karin Spence and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<p id="half-title" class="p6">Home Life in All Lands</p> - -<p class="center p-left xs p4">SIXTH IMPRESSION</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<div class="bbox"> - -<p class="center p-left"><i>HOME LIFE IN ALL LANDS</i><br /> - -<i>By CHARLES MORRIS</i></p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="center p-left sm">BOOK I</p> - -<p class="center p-left">HOW THE WORLD LIVES</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"It is the most intimate, and gives us the best idea of the -ordinary life of these strange people to whom our author -introduces us. The volume is both interesting and valuable in -an unusual degree. A capital book for school or home."</p> - -<p class="r1">—<i>The School Journal, New York.</i></p></blockquote> - -<p class="center p-left xs"><i>One hundred and twelve illustrations. 316 pages.</i></p> - -<hr class="r5" /> - -<p class="center p-left sm">BOOK II</p> - -<p class="center p-left">MANNERS AND CUSTOMS<br /> - OF UNCIVILIZED PEOPLES</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"Excellent for school or home use. This volume deals with the -manners and customs of uncivilized peoples. The illustrations -are well chosen and the style is admirable."—<i>Providence -Journal.</i></p></blockquote> - -<p class="center p-left xs"><i>One hundred illustrations. 322 pages.</i></p> - -<hr class="r5" /> - -<p class="center p-left sm">BOOK III</p> - -<p class="center p-left">ANIMAL FRIENDS AND<br /> - HELPERS</p> - -<p class="center p-left xs"><i>Fully illustrated. 340 pages.</i></p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<hr class="full p2" /> - -<p class="center p-left">J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY</p> - -<p class="center p-left xs">PUBLISHERS PHILADELPHIA</p> - -</div></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_frontis"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_frontis.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 p-left sm">Reproduced by permission of The Philadelphia Museums.</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Transport Elephants, Perak, Federated Malay States</p> - </div></div> - -<h1 class="smcap">Home Life<br /> -in All Lands</h1> - -<p class="center p-left sm p2">BY</p> - -<p class="center p-left p1">CHARLES MORRIS</p> - -<p class="center p-left sm">Author of "Historical Tales," "History of the World,"<br /> -"History of the United States," etc.</p> - -<p class="smcap center p-left">Book III.</p> - -<p class="center p-left p1">ANIMAL FRIENDS AND HELPERS</p> - -<p class="center p-left p2 sm"><i>ILLUSTRATED</i></p> - -<div class="figcenter" id="i_title"> - <img - class="p4" - src="images/i_title.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - -<p class="center p-left p2">PHILADELPHIA & LONDON</p> - -<p class="center p-left">J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p class="center p-left p6 xs">COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY</p></div> - - -<p class="center p-left p6 xs">PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - - -<h2 class="smcap">Preface</h2></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_v" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_v.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - - -<p>In the earlier volumes of this series, man, as the maker of and dweller -in the home, was dealt with in the varied aspects of his existence. But -man is not the only occupant of the home. He has brought around him -an interesting family of animals of great variety in form and habit, -many of them kept as pets and companions, many aiding him in his sports -and his labors, others supplying him with meat, milk, butter, eggs -and other forms of food. It is a varied and active sub-family of the -household, the barnyard and field with which we here propose to deal, -its inmates varying in size from the lordly elephant to the busy bee, -and in intelligence from the wide-awake dog to the stupid sheep, a -multitude of running, flying, and swimming forms brought together from -every domain of nature and serving man in a hundred ways.</p> - -<p>The full story of this wider family of the home would be a long one. -These humbler animals have a life of their own as interesting in its -way as that of man, their master and friend. We cannot tell it all in -the small space at our command, but the little we have here brought -together concerning the varieties and habits of our household animals -must have some considerable degree of interest to readers. This is -especially the case with the many stories that can be told of their -powers of thought and special habits and modes of action, and the -reader will find here many striking anecdotes of animal intelligence -selected out of the multitude that are on record. The story of the -whole animal kingdom is pleasing and instructive, and that of the -domestic animals, those which have come under man's special care, is -specially so, as it is hoped the readers of this work will discover. -Illustrations have been secured from a large variety of sources, a -number, picturing the rarer animals, being reproduced from "Chambers' -Encyclopedia."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="smcap">Contents</h2></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_vii" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_vii.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - -<table summary="contents"> - <tr> - <th class="chap">CHAPTER</th> - <th></th> - <th class="pag">PAGE</th> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn">I</td> - <td class="cht smcap">Household Pets and Comrades</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Dog, Man's Faithful Friend</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Many Kinds of Dogs</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Anecdotes of Dog Wit and Wisdom</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Cat, our Fireside Inmate</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Other Four-Footed Pets</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">II</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">Our Single-Hoofed Helpers</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Horse in all Lands</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Racer and Hunter</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">War-Horse and Working-Horse</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Horse Tamer</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Arab and His Horse</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Anecdotes of the Horse</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Ass, Zebra, and Mule</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">III</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">Cloven-Hoofed Draught Animals</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_92">92</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Ox and Buffalo</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Lapland Reindeer</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Ship of the Desert</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Dromedary</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Llama and Alpaca</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_111">111</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Arctic Beast of Burden</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Elephant in Man's Service</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Anecdotes of the Elephant</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">IV</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">Animals Which Yield Food to Man</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Cattle of the Field</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_134">134</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Milk-Giving Cows</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Beef-Making Cattle</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">In the Bull Ring</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Wool-Clad Sheep</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_149">149</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Wool Shearing and Weaving</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_156">156</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Bearded Goat</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_158">158</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">In the Pig-sty</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">V</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">The Birds of the Poultry Yard</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Hen and its Brood</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Game-Cock and its Battles</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_182">182</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Web-Footed Duck and Goose</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Turkey and Guinea-Fowl</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_193">193</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Swan, an Image of Grace</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_199">199</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Proud and Gaudy Peacock</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_204">204</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Dove-Like Pigeon</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Ostrich and its Splendid Plumes</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_213">213</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">VI</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">Winged and Tuneful Home Pets</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_217">217</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Canary and its Song</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_218">218</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Marvellous Mocking Bird</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_222">222</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Other Caged Songsters</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_224">224</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Parrot as a Talker</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_230">230</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Other Talking Birds</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_236">236</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">VII</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">Our Cousin, the Monkey</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_247">247</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Monkey as a Pet</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_248">248</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">How Monkeys Take Revenge</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_250">250</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Imitation, a Monkey Trait</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_253">253</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Kinds of Monkeys</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_259">259</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">How Monkeys Teach Themselves</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_264">264</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Anecdotes of the Ape</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_270">270</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Feeling and Friendliness in the Monkey</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_273">273</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">VIII</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">Other Animals Used as Pets</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_283">283</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Pets of the Aquarium</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_286">286</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Snake Charmers</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_289">289</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Mongoose and other Small Animals</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_297">297</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">Hawking or Falconry</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_309">309</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn1">IX</td> - <td class="cht2 smcap">Wild Animals in Man's Service</td> - <td class="pag1"><a href="#Page_317">317</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Dancing Bear</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_319">319</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Seal and the Alligator</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_323">323</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Stork, Cormorant, and Albatross</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_327">327</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="chn"></td> - <td class="cht1">The Honey-Giving Bee</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_334">334</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="smcap">List of Illustrations</h2></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_ix" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_ix.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - -<table summary="illustrations"> - <tr> - <th></th> - <th class="pag">PAGE</th> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Bird Dogs "Pointing" Partridges</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_016">16</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Fox Cubs at Mouth of Den</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_018">18</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Beagle Hound Chasing a Rat</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_021">21</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Scottish Shepherd Dog Gathering His Flock</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_023">23</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The St. Bernard Dog and His Friends</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_025">25</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Funny Quartette of Pekingese Puppies</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_028">28</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Hounds Overtaking a Fox</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_032">32</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Dog Guardian. "Can You Talk"</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_035">35</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Dog Team Hauling Milk in Antwerp</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_037">37</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Deerhound, Rossie Ralph</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_040">40</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Mother Cat and Her Playful Brood</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_042">42</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Canada Lynx, the House Cat's "Cousin"</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_045">45</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Ready for Business</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_047">47</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Hungry Babes and Playful Kitten</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_051">51</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Rabbits near Their Burrow</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_055">55</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Otter, One of Nature's Fishers</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_057">57</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Guinea-Pig. Pig Only by Name, not by Nature</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_058">58</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Friends and Comrades</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_062">62</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Rosa Bonheur's Famous Picture of the Horse Fair</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_064">64</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Pure Bred Clydesdale Draft Horse</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_068">68</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Roman Chariot Race</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_070">70</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Thoroughbred Racing Horse</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_072">72</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Virginia Deer</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_074">74</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Logging Team with a Heavy Load</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_076">76</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Famous Arab Steeds and Desert Riders</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_080">80</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Pair of Prize Mules</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_086">86</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Mexican Donkey Waiting for the Last Straw</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_087">87</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Striped Zebra of Africa</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_089">89</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Native Ox Cart of Delhi, India</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_093">93</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Hauling Sugar Cane in Puerto Rico</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_095">95</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The White Yak of the Asiatic Mountains</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_096">96</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The American Bison alone on the Prairie</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_097">97</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Cultivating Rice Field with the Chinese Ox. Hawaii</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_098">98</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Carabao</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_100">100</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Herd of Reindeer</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_102">102</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Sahara Desert Scene</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_104">104</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Rug Laden Caravan</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_107">107</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Camel Hauling Water</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_109">109</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Yaks Picketed near Camp in India</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_110">110</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Llama Train Descending the Mountains of Peru</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_112">112</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Dog Train Hauling Provision in Northern Canada</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_114">114</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Alaskan Dog Team—The Winter Mail Carriers</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_116">116</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Elephant Piling Lumber</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_120">120</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Military Elephant on Duty. India</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_122">122</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A State Elephant of India with Howdah</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_130">130</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Making Friends with a Guernsey Calf</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_134">134</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Back to the Pasture After the Milking</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_138">138</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Holstein Cow, a Great Milk Giver</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_140">140</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Ox Team and Native Cart, with Wooden Wheels</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_142">142</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">An Ox-Team on a Florida Plantation</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_145">145</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Carting Manila Hemp. Philippine Islands</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_147">147</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Moose in Harness</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_148">148</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Cattle and Sheep of the Scottish Highlands</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_152">152</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Merino Ram, the Great Wool Bearer</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_155">155</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Alpine Ibex</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_160">160</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Milk Goats in the Alps</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_162">162</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Pair of Angora Goats</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_164">164</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Wart Hog</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_167">167</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Fat Berkshire Hog</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_170">170</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Razor-back Hog of the South</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_173">173</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Animals of the Farm and Poultry Yard</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_174">174</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Feeding the Chickens in the Farm-yard</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_177">177</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">English Dorking Cock and Hen</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_181">181</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Willie and His Pet Ducks</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_187">187</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">An Assault by Hungry Geese</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_190">190</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Gander Hissing at an Enemy</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_192">192</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Driving Turkeys to Market</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_197">197</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Black Swan of Australia</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_201">201</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Graceful White Swan Swimming</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_203">203</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Peacock, the Most Gorgeous of Home Birds</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_205">205</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Pigeon Types. Carrier and Short Faced Tumbler</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_212">212</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">On a California Ostrich Farm</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_215">215</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Mocking Bird</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_223">223</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The White-Faced Parrot</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_231">231</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Gray Parrot on His Perch</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_235">235</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Starling</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_242">242</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Feeding Monkeys at the Zoölogical Garden</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_252">252</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Pair of Midget Donkeys</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_258">258</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Orang Outang in the Hands of His Keeper</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_265">265</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">An Afternoon Chat</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_276">276</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Fantail</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_287">287</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Hindu Snake Charmers with the Deadly Cobras</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_294">294</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Mongoose</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_298">298</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Common Hedgehog with His Battery of Spines</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_303">303</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Three-banded Armadillo</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_305">305</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Friendly Gray Squirrel</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_307">307</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">A Hooded Peregrine Falcon</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_310">310</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Leg and Foot of Falcon Showing Fastening</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_314">314</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">Grizzly Bear Cub</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_320">320</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Harp-seal Afloat on the Ice</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_324">324</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Savage Florida Alligator</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_326">326</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Stork in Its Feeding Grounds</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_329">329</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Cormorant, the Fishing Bird of China</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_331">331</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">The Albatross Swooping Over the Ocean Waves</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_333">333</a></td> - </tr> - - <tr> - <td class="cht">An Opened Bee Hive Showing the Clustering Bees</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#i_336">336</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p></div> - -<hr class="style" /> - -<p class="smcap center p-left xxl">Home Life in All Lands</p> - -<hr class="style" /> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">I<br /> - -HOUSEHOLD PETS AND COMRADES</h2> - - -<p>How few of us can go into the house without their coming to meet us: -the frisky dog, with its wagging tail; the sleek and soft-footed cat, -with its mellow purr. On her swinging perch sits mistress parrot, -greeting us with her noisy "Polly wants a cracker." In its gilded cage -flirts the golden-hued canary, singing loudly to bid us welcome. They -give life and joy to the most rustic home, these pets of the household, -our glad though humble friends and guests.</p> - -<p>If we go out of the house into the stable-yard or the pasture-field we -meet others of them: the noble horse, the patient and docile cow, the -woolly sheep, the sturdy goat. In the poultry-yard still others meet -us: the cackling hen, proud of her new-laid egg; the crowing rooster, -the quacking duck, the gracefully swimming goose or swan, the peacock -with its splendid tail, even the buzzing bee, flying home laden with -wax and honey.</p> - -<p>If all our human friends should desert us, the dog would cling to us -still. Carlo's faith and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> trust were true in all the ills of life. The -ragged beggar finds a loving friend in his dog. Roger the dog may be -as ragged and forlorn as tramping Joe, his master; he may be a shabby -mongrel of the worst breed, but a true heart beats under his rusty -hide, and he will love and follow his rambling master through thick and -thin.</p> - -<p>It is the same with our petted horse, which greets us with a glad neigh -and loves to kiss our hand or face with its soft muzzle. Almost any -animal that we make a pet of will repay us with its love and trust, -though least of all the cat, which has kept half wild through centuries -of taming. But of course we cannot say this of all cats; we must give -Tabby credit for some of the spirit of affection under her smooth fur, -though as a rule she loves places more than she does persons and is apt -to be the most independent member of the household.</p> - -<p>If we go abroad into the wilds and woods, what shall we find there? -Living creatures still, multitudes of them, but all ready to flee or -fly from man. They fear him and do not trust him. If strong and fierce -enough they will rush upon him instead of from him and try to kill this -two-legged creature who so often tries to kill them.</p> - -<p>But look closer and you will find that many of these wild animals are -near relatives of those that man has tamed. The fierce wolf and cunning -fox are cousins of the trusty dog; the terrible lion and tiger belong -to the same family as the cat we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> fondle in our laps; the zebra which -no man can tame is not far away in family tree from the faithful horse. -Very many more of these animals might have been tamed if man had cared -to do so. But he picked out those that pleased him most or that he -could make the best use of and left the others to their wild ways.</p> - -<p>Now you may see what we are here to talk about. It is our purpose to -set out on a home journey, one that starts from the kitchen or the -parlor of the house and goes no farther than the outer fence of the -farm—if we are lucky enough to have a farm. We are not making this -home trip to call on anybody like ourselves. We are setting out to -visit the cattle and sheep in their pasture-fields, the horses in their -stalls, the poultry in their yards, the pig in his pen, and have a -quiet talk about what we find there. And at the same time we must have -our say about the dog that follows us in our round, and seems to fancy -himself one of ourselves rather than one of those we are proposing to -call upon. He thinks himself "folks," does master doggy. Let us take -him at his own measure and deal with him first, of all.</p> - - -<h3>THE DOG, MAN'S FAITHFUL FRIEND</h3> - -<p>Where did the dog come from and how long has he made man his companion? -These are questions not easy to answer. Almost ever since there has -been a man there has been a dog to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> follow at his heels and aid him in -his sports. If we go back far before the beginning of history we find -the bones of man and dog in the same grave. And it is a strange thing -that thousands of years ago there were the same kinds of dogs we see -about us to-day.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_016"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_016.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Bird Dogs "Pointing" Partridges</p> - </div> - -<p>How do we know this, you ask? Why, four or five thousand years ago the -people of Egypt kept dogs, just as we do, and thought so much of them -as to draw pictures of them on the walls of their tombs. If you should -visit these tombs, cut deep into the rocks, you would see here the -picture of a greyhound, farther on a kind of terrier, still farther -one of a wolf-dog, all looking much like our own dogs. So in ancient -Assyria we find images of watch-dogs and hunting-dogs, much like our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -mastiff and greyhound. Thus, go back as far as we please in the story -of human life, man's faithful friend keeps everywhere with him.</p> - -<p>Where did he come from? That is another part of our question. We all -know that the dog's forefathers must have been wild animals, hunters -and meat-eaters, which were tamed by man and made his comrades. There -are plenty of these wild animals still, wolves we call them, fierce -hunting creatures that run down smaller animals and kill them for food. -They do not bark like the dog, but they are like it in many ways. -Barking is a new form of speech learned by the civilized dog. It is the -dog's trade mark.</p> - -<p>Wise men who have made a study of the dog are sure he began as a wolf, -and some dogs have not yet got far away from the wolf. Have any of you -ever seen an Eskimo dog, the kind that drags the sleds of travellers -over the Arctic ice? If you have, you have looked upon a half-civilized -creature that is as much wolf as dog. It will work well—under the -whip; but its great delight is an all-round fight, and if hungry its -master is not safe from its sharp teeth.</p> - -<p>In fact, the dogs kept by savage and barbarian people look much like -the wolves of the country around them. Thus the dogs kept by the Indian -tribes of our land are so much like the wolves found in the same -regions that it is not easy to tell them apart.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span></p> - -<p>In southern Asia and parts of Africa is a wild animal called the -jackal. It is smaller than the wolf, but belongs to the same family -and seems to come half way between the wolf and the fox. It is fairly -certain that some of the dogs of India and other countries are tamed -jackals. The jackal is easy to tame, and a tamed jackal will wag its -tail and crouch before its master just like a dog.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_018"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_018.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Fox Cubs at Mouth of Den. Observe Their Vigilant and -Alert Outlook</p> - </div> - -<p>We begin now to see where man found the dog. He seems in very early -times to have tamed the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> wolves and jackals around him, fed them, won -their love by kindness, and taught them to do many new things. The -wolves hunt in packs just as dogs do, and they are very expert in -taking their prey. It is the same with the jackals. They hunt in packs -like the wolves and are very shrewd and cunning. These wild animals are -fierce, but so are many dogs, though in most cases the fierceness has -been tamed out of our house dogs.</p> - - -<h3>THE MANY KINDS OF DOGS</h3> - -<p>Any of us who go into a dog show might almost fancy ourselves in a -zoological garden, for we seem to be in the midst of a multitude -of different animals. It is hard to believe that the fluffy little -Lapdog, not much bigger than a well-grown rat, belongs to the same -family as the Great Dane, as tall as a pony and strong as a leopard. -The same is the case if we bring together the slender and graceful -Greyhound and the sturdy Mastiff; or compare the Collie with the -Terrier or the Spaniel; or the ugly Bulldog or funny Pug with the -long-headed Foxhound; or the hairy Poodle or Skye Terrier with the many -short-haired breeds.</p> - -<p>Nearly ten times as numerous as the letters of the alphabet, the dogs -bewilder us with their variety, and it is not easy to believe that they -all belong to the same family. Yet this is the case; they are all dogs, -big and little, stout and slender, hairy or hairless alike, all one in -their general<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> make-up and their habits. It is very likely, indeed, -that they came from several species of wolves and jackals, yet there -are certain traits of doggishness that belong to them all.</p> - -<p>Shall we not fancy ourselves really in a dog show and walk around and -look at the variety of dogs to be seen! We cannot name them all, there -are too many of them, but we may take a quick glance at the prize dogs -in the show. It is common to divide them into groups, such as hunting -dogs, working dogs, watch dogs, sheep dogs, and toy dogs.</p> - -<p>Of hunting-dogs there are many kinds, including the various hounds, -such as the Bloodhound, Staghound, Foxhound, Greyhound, and others. -These either have fine powers of scent or are splendid runners, so that -few kinds of game can escape them. The Bloodhound has very acute scent -and has long been known as a hunter of men. In the past it was used to -hunt fugitives from justice and in our times has been often put on the -track of runaway slaves.</p> - -<p>The Foxhound has long been used in the sport of chasing the fox, large -packs of them being kept in England and this country for that purpose. -The Harrier, a smaller hound, is used in hunting the hare. Still -smaller is the Beagle, the smallest of the hounds, but with the finest -power of scent. It is a slow runner, but will keep it up for hours at a -time, and seldom fails to bring down its game.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> - -<p>Other hunting-dogs are the Pointer and Setter, the friends of the -gunner. The Pointer is so called from its habit of standing fixed -when it scents game, while the Setter crouches down when the scent of -game is in the air. The Spaniel is another hunting dog, much liked by -sportsmen. It is a beautiful dog, with very long ears and wavy and -beautiful hair, red and white in color. It is fond of swimming and -knows well the art of fish-catching.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_021"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_021.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Beagle Hound Chasing a Rat</p> - </div> - -<p>Working dogs include such kinds as the Eskimo dogs, that drag the sleds -of the Eskimos and of polar explorers, and the dogs of Kamtchatka, -swift, powerful animals, used for the same purpose. You have very -likely read about the working dogs of Holland, which are used to pull -the milk-carts of their masters. Then there is the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> turnspit, much used -in past times to turn the spit when meat was roasting before the fire. -In our days there is no use for the turnspit, and not many dogs are -made to work for their living. On the whole the dog is something of an -aristocrat, ready for sport, keen on the watch, but not overly fond of -work.</p> - -<p>We cannot for a moment lose sight of the Sheep Dog, the Collie, as it -is called in Scotland, a shaggy, wide-awake fellow, who takes better -care of a flock of sheep than most men could do. He lives with the -sheep, gathers them from the hills and brings them to the sheepfold -when needed, and will let no prowler meddle with the woolly beasts -under his care. The stranger who comes near the flock must be careful -how he acts, if he does not wish to feel the collie's sharp teeth. That -alert sentinel knows his duty and will stand no nonsense.</p> - -<p>There are many varieties of the sheep dog. In Asia they have often -to fight for their flocks with wild beasts and robbers, and are very -strong and fierce. Some of them are shaggy, wolf-like brutes, nearly as -large as a Newfoundland dog and not afraid of the biggest wolf. Dogs -like these are also kept in some parts of Europe. Wise and sharp-witted -creatures are the sheep-dogs, knowing and doing their business well. At -a word or even a look from its master the collie will scour around the -hills and dales for miles, rounding up and bringing the scattered sheep -to one place.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> And in or after the heavy snow-storms of the Scotch -Highlands a dog is often worth a dozen men in saving its master's -flocks.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_023"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_023.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Scottish Shepherd Dog Gathering His Flock</p> - </div> - -<p>Then there is the Drover's Dog or Cur, belonging to the same family, -black and white in color, used in driving sheep and cattle to the city -markets and well trained in the art of doing this. The sheep dogs of -South America are fine animals. Large flocks are kept there and left -alone in the care of these four-footed keepers. Darwin, who often saw -them, says: "When riding it is a common thing to meet a large flock of -sheep, guarded by one or two dogs, at the distance of some miles from -any house or man. It is amusing to observe, when approaching a flock, -how the dog advances barking, and the sheep all close in his rear as if -round the oldest ram."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> - -<p>Now let us take a look at the Watch Dogs, those that take charge of -their master's house, or follow him in his walks, ready to fight for -him whether he goes out or stays in, and to act as a sentinel or guard -of honor for him at all times. The Mastiff is one of the well-known -house guards, a great, strong, faithful sentinel, with heavy head and -powerful limbs, bold enough to fight a bear or even a lion. The British -mastiff is good-natured and will even let children play with him and -tease him, but when kept tied up he often grows surly and dangerous to -strangers. There is a mastiff kept in Tibet which is larger than the -British one and attacks strangers as fiercely as a wolf would do.</p> - -<p>Coming a step down we meet the Bulldog, smaller than the mastiff, and -looking sour and surly enough to scare any child. Its face is twisted -into an ugly scowl, and its jaws are like bars of iron. When it gets -its teeth into any animal nothing can make it let go. You may burn it -with hot irons and it will hold on still. We may pity any one, man or -beast, in whom this black bunch of obstinacy sets its teeth. It knows -well how to take hold, but not how to let go.</p> - -<p>Coming another step down we see before us the Pug, a queer little house -pet, which somehow is born with the bulldog's face but is as timid and -good-natured as the other is fierce and surly. He is a funny little -brute, ugly enough to turn milk sour. Yet with all his ugliness he -finds loving friends.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_025"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_025.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The St. Bernard Dog and His Friends</p> - </div> - -<p>Among the large watch dogs are the sturdy Newfoundland, which is well -known to us all, the splendid, erect fellow called the Great Dane, and -the noble St. Bernard, kept by the monks of the Alps to seek for and -save travellers who have been lost on the mountain paths or in the deep -snows. When a sudden snow-storm comes on two of these powerful dogs -are sent out together, one with a flask of strong drink hanging from -its neck, the other with a cloak for the freezing wayfarer to put on. -If the traveller has lost his way they guide him to the convent. If he -has fallen and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> been covered by the snow, they trace him by their keen -power of scent, dig the snow away, and bring the monks by their loud -barking, which can be heard for a long distance in the clear mountain -air.</p> - -<p>Many of you must have seen the Dalmatian coach-dog. A handsome animal -it is, white in color, but well marked with round black spots. It is -not fit for hunting, for its scent is not good, but it is a welcome -companion when one is out on foot, on horseback, or in his coach or -carriage. Lively, clean and kindly, very active and fond of running, it -makes an excellent comrade for the walker or rider.</p> - -<p>We cannot give the names of all the dogs. There are too many of them. -But it will not do to pass by the smaller ones, those used for sport or -for house service. Chief among the small sporting breeds are the active -Terriers, all of them brave, alert and quick in motion. These are used -in hunting such small prey as the otter, the badger, the weasel and the -rat. To see one of them at work in a room full of rats is to look upon -a living flash of lightning. A single Rat Terrier has been known to -kill a hundred rats, collected in one room, in seven minutes, one quick -bite putting each rat out of business.</p> - -<p>There are several kinds of Terriers. One of them is the Dandie Dinmont, -spoken of by Sir Walter Scott in his novels, a beautiful little dog<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -belonging to Scotland. Then there is the favorite Skye Terrier, of the -same country, with its very long body and short legs, half buried in -its own hair. Between the Fox Terrier and the Bulldog, comes the Bull -Terrier, having in it something of both its parents and able to fight -as savagely as the Bulldog itself.</p> - -<p>These are the big and the medium sized dogs, but there are many smaller -ones, used as pets and some so small as to be only a size larger than -the full-grown rat. These are the toy animals, pocket editions of their -breeds, many of them only fit for ladies' pets, to be fed and fondled -and taken out in coach or carriage for an airing. They include the -Poodles, Terriers and Spaniels, the larger ones good for the hunting -field, the smaller fit only for the parlor.</p> - -<p>Of the Pug, with its ugly mug, we have already spoken, and may pass -on to the spaniels, often charming little playmates. There are field -spaniels and toy spaniels, the field dogs being good hunters and the -water-spaniels fine swimmers. The toy spaniels are very different -from the hunters and only fit to be fed and fondled. They include the -pretty King Charles, glossy black in color, the Prince Charles, white -with black-and-tan markings, the red and white Blenheim and the red -Ruby Spaniel. There are other breeds, a popular one being the Japanese -Spaniel. The toy spaniel should not weigh more than ten pounds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> and -have a short, turned-up face like a pug. With their long coats and -small size they are fit only for pets, but are very bright and cheery -little creatures.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_028"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_028.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Courtesy of Mrs. A. R. Bauman</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">A Funny Quartette of Pekingese Puppies</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">The Poodles may also be divided into the hunting and the pet dogs. -They are fleecy fellows, often with so thick a coat of hair that it is -not easy to tell where poodle begins and coat ends. The most handsome -of them is the large black Russian Poodle, well fitted for use in the -hunting field. The small white poodle is only fit for a house pet, but -it is a very clever one and can easily be taught tricks of various -kinds.</p> - -<p>It has long been the fashion to trim the poodle's coat in an odd -fashion, shaving it all off from the body and hind-quarters except -a few scattered tufts, but leaving it very long and thick on the -shoulders. Very likely the poodle himself does<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> not like to be made -such a show of, especially if there is any bite in the air. Those who -have any feeling for their dogs let the hair grow in the winter and -trim it only in the warm season.</p> - -<p>As there are toy spaniels, so there are toy terriers, among them the -pretty little Black and Tan and the lovely little Maltese, with a white -coat as soft as floss silk and long enough to touch the ground. These -toy terriers are scarcely a handful in size, some of them weighing -not more than three pounds. Then there is the graceful and beautiful -Italian Greyhound; of about eight pounds weight, with soft and glossy -coat, fawn and cream colored, and in every way an elegant little -creature.</p> - - -<h3>ANECDOTES OF DOG WIT AND WISDOM</h3> - -<p>What could we do without the dog? There are many other animals made -use of by man, but the dog, his faithful friend and companion, stands -first of all. It not only aids him in his sports, but clings to him in -all the affairs of life, and has been known to lie down and die on its -master's grave, not willing to leave him even after death.</p> - -<p>Not only faithful and loving is the dog, not only fond of play and -sport, but it has a very good brain of its own and is one of the -smartest of all the animals. If it could only talk we would find that a -great deal goes on inside its little thinking organ. How wisely it will -at times look<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> up in our faces, as if to say, "If I could only speak I -could tell you many things worth listening to."</p> - -<p>But can dogs think? some of you ask. I am sure that most of you who -keep dogs could answer this question for yourselves. Certainly dogs -very often do things that look much like thinking. There are hundreds -of anecdotes telling us of wise things done by dogs and I propose to -tell you some of these. I think you will find that they answer your -question. I am sure that most of you could tell me of some clever dog -doings. Here are some that seem worth telling.</p> - -<p>A farmer friend of mine long ago told me of some curious things done -by a dog of his. He had a bell hung on a post in his yard, with a rope -coming down from it. He would ring it in the early morning to rouse up -the farm hands for their day's work. One morning he was surprised to -hear the bell ring very early, but no one could tell him who had rung -it.</p> - -<p>The next morning it rang again. He sprang from bed and looked out the -window to find that his dog was the culprit. It had the rope in its -teeth and was pulling away like an able bell-ringer. The little chap -was lonely and wanted company; he had often seen the men troop out on -the ringing of the bell; so he put two and two together and rang the -bell himself. The farmer had to hang up the rope out of reach to put an -end to this doggish trick.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> - -<p>The same dog had a great fancy for riding in a carriage of his own, and -when one of the men drove up to the door with his cart, and left the -horse standing while he went into the house for orders, doggy would -bark and bite at the horse's shins until he set him in motion, and then -would jump into the cart for a free ride. He was "only a dog," but he -knew how to get what he wanted, and he looked proud enough as he stood -with his feet on the front of the cart, as if he owned all the world he -could see.</p> - -<p>Another friend tells me that, when a country boy, he had to go a mile -or two every morning to the post office for letters and papers, his -dog keeping him company. On one morning there was nothing for him -and he started back empty handed. But the dog refused to follow. It -seated itself on the post-office steps and would not budge. He tried in -various ways to make it come, but in spite of all he could do back it -would go to those steps and seat itself as before.</p> - -<p>The boy was at his wits' end. At last the thought came to him of what -ailed the obstinate brute. He took a piece of paper from his pocket -and held it up and at once the dog came running up, frisking about him -gladly. If it could have spoken it would have said something like this: -"You and I were sent to bring the papers. If you choose to go home -without them I do not. I know my duty better than that."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_032"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_032.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Hounds Overtaking a Fox</p> - </div> - -<p>The story has often been told that dogs which have been in the habit -of eagerly following their masters on their week-day walks, will not -stir on Sundays. They seem to know from past experience that they are -not welcome on that day. Do these creatures count the days of the week -and know in that way when Sunday comes? Or is there something in the -dress of the family, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> sound of church-bells in the air, or other -indications to tell them that this is a day set aside from doggish -sports and duties?</p> - -<p>All I can say in the matter is that a village friend of mine, whose -church was too far away for the bells to be heard, had a dog of this -kind, that ran friskily up to go out with him every morning but Sunday, -when it would not stir from its rug. To test the animal he on several -occasions came downstairs in his week-day clothes and went about in his -week-day manner. But the wise creature was not to be fooled. It looked -at him lazily and lay still, its looks seeming to say, "I can count as -well as you and I know this is Sunday. You can't fool me with your old -clothes."</p> - -<p>You may see that I am not going abroad for my stories. These are not -anecdotes taken from books, but little matters told me by friends. The -book stories, no doubt, are better, but these are fresher. Here are one -or two that I have heard of a different kind, tales which go to show -the faithfulness of the watch-dog.</p> - -<p>One of these is of a gentleman who went out one day, leaving his dog -locked in the house. On his return in the evening he found that he -had forgotten his key and could not get into the house by the front -door. He tried the other doors and windows and at last found an open -window into which he tried to climb. But so savage a bark came from the -care-keeper inside that he backed out again in a hurry.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Don't you know me, Carlo?" he said, in a coaxing tone.</p> - -<p>Carlo knew him well enough and came with wagging tail to the window -to be caressed by its master's hand. But the instant he tried again -to climb in the animal's attitude changed and it became the fierce -watch-dog again.</p> - -<p>Try as he would, Carlo simply would not let him come into the house in -that way. It was the burglar's route, and even if this man were his -master he had no right to take it. In the end the baffled gentleman -had to give up the attempt and leave Carlo lord of the premises. The -faithful watch-dog knew not master or man when it came to a question of -duty.</p> - -<p>Now let me speak of a dog that had a different sense of duty. It -belonged to a cousin of mine and when left in charge of the house in -the absence of its mistress was quite willing to let visitors enter and -seemed very glad to see them. The trouble began when they tried to go -out. This the dog would not permit. It was ready to attack them with -teeth and claws if they tried it. "Here you are and here you stay till -my mistress comes home," its attitude seemed to say. "Your coming may -be all right, but that is for the lady of the house to decide, and you -shall not go a step until she returns."</p> - -<p>Dogs cannot talk, that we all know very well. It is true that there -is at present a dog in Germany<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> which has been taught to speak a -number of words, in a way that makes it easy to understand them. But -no one fancies that even this dog will ever become a good and ready -talker. Yet it is well known that dogs can understand human speech and -sometimes very well.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_035"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_035.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Dog Guardian. "Can You Talk?"</p> - </div> - -<p>Thus a friend of mine comes home at night, after a day's hard work, -flings himself lazily on the sofa, and says to a visitor: "If Jim there -knew enough I would ask him to go upstairs for my slippers."</p> - -<p>Jim, the dog, who has been lying in easy content on his favorite spot, -at once gets up, stretches himself, and trots off up stairs, coming -back in a few minutes with a slipper in his mouth. Off he trots again -and comes back with the other, then lies down once more with an air -of satisfaction.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> This is an actual incident. Very likely the word -"slippers," joined with his own name, was the key-note to the dog's -action. The two words were enough to tell him what was wanted.</p> - -<p>Dozens of incidents of this kind might be given. Here is a good one -that has so often been told that many of you may have read it. A -sheep-dog in a Highland cottage was lying one day before the fire while -his master, a shepherd, was talking with a neighbor. He wished to show -his friend how quick-witted a dog he had, and while talking about a -different matter, said in a quiet tone, "I'm thinking, sir, the cow's -got into the potatoes."</p> - -<p>The dog, which had seemed asleep, at once jumped up, leaped through the -open window and scrambled to the cottage roof. Here it could see the -potato field. As no cow was there, the dog ran to the farm-yard, where -it found the animal it sought. It then came back to the house, and -quietly lay down again.</p> - -<p>Some time later the shepherd said the same words and the dog sprang up -and went out again. But when the words were repeated a third time the -wise creature came up to its master with wagging tail, and looked into -his face with so comical an expression that the talkers broke out into -a loud laugh. Then with a slight growl, the dog laid down again on the -hearth rug with an offended air, as if saying to itself, "You shall not -make a fool of me again."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_037"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_037.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Dog Team Hauling Milk in Antwerp</p> - </div> - -<p>This is one of the stock stories of dog wit. Many others like it might -be told. There is no doubt that dogs have ways of making their dog -friends know things they would like to have done. Many stories could -be given to prove this, but most of them are too long to be told here. -Thus we are told of dogs that have got the worst of it in a fight -seeking a stronger friend, telling their story in their own way, and -the two going out together to whip the whipper.</p> - -<p>Dogs have their feelings, too, and can easily be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> insulted. "Low life" -dogs are so used to being cuffed and kicked that a kick does not hurt -their feelings, though it may their flesh. But "high life" dogs are apt -to be very delicate in their feelings, and the mere touch of a whip -hurts their pride deeply. Here is a story of a Skye terrier that went -out every day for a walk in the park with its master's brother. One day -when it hung back to amuse itself with another dog the gentleman, to -induce it to follow, struck it with his glove.</p> - -<p>The terrier looked up with an air of anger and dignity, turned round -and trotted off home. The next day it went out again, but after a short -walk it looked up into the man's face, turned on its heels, and trotted -back once more with an air of great dignity. Having thus made its -protest, it would never go out with him again.</p> - -<p>Here is another case, having to do this time with unjust treatment -instead of offended pride. Arago, the famous French scientist, was once -detained by a storm at a country inn, and stood warming himself by the -kitchen fire while the innkeeper roasted a fowl for his dinner.</p> - -<p>Having put the fowl on the spit over the fire, the innkeeper tried to -catch a turnspit dog lying in the kitchen and put him in the wheel by -which the spit was turned. But the dog would not enter the spit, got -under a table, and showed fight. When Arago asked what made it act that -way,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> the host said that the dog was right, it was not its turn but -that of its companion, then out of the room. The other turnspit was -sent for, entered the wheel at once and turned away willingly. When -the fowl was half done Arago took this dog out and the other dog now -readily took his turn. He had fought for right and justice and had won.</p> - -<p>We must stop here. The stories told about the intelligence of dogs are -so many and of such different kinds that they would more than fill -this book if all were told. We have picked out a few of some kinds. -There are other kinds. Thus dogs do not like to be laughed at. They -have also some sense of humor and will try to play tricks on their -masters. They have a sense of shame and will slink away when caught at -some act of which they should be ashamed. And there are thieves among -them that will steal in a very skilful manner. Thus sheep-killing dogs -are very cunning at hiding the evidence of their nightly raids in the -sheep-field.</p> - -<p>I cannot leave the dog without quoting Senator Vest's fine words of -praise of this noble animal. They may be viewed as a classic tribute to -the dog. They were spoken in a law-suit in which the Senator was acting -for a party whose dog had been killed. It was "only a dog," said the -other lawyer. Here is what Senator Vest said to the jury:</p> - -<p>"Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> man has in the world may -turn against him. His son and daughter whom he has reared with loving -care may become ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, -those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become -traitors to their trust. The money that a man has he may lose. It -flies away from him when he may need it most. A man's reputation may -be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are -prone to fall on their knees and do us honor when success is with us -may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its -cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend a man may -have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one -that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is the dog."</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_040"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_040.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Deerhound, Rossie Ralph</p> - </div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> - -<p>"A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and -sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground when winter winds blow and -snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He -will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds -and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He -guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When -all other friends desert, he remains; when riches take wings and -reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun -in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth -an outcast into the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog -asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against -danger, to fight against his enemies. And, when the last scene of all -comes and death takes his master in its embrace, and his body is laid -away in the cold ground; no matter if all other friends pursue their -way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head -between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful -and true even unto death."</p> - -<p>The claim for the loss of the dog had been $200, but when the jury -heard this just and masterly tribute to the dog they gave a verdict of -$500. Well they knew that every word of it was true.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> - - -<h3>THE CAT, OUR FIRESIDE INMATE</h3> - -<p>When the sun has left the sky and night flings its dusky cloak over -all things out-of-doors, then within the house we draw the curtain, -light the lamp, and gather round the study table with books or games. -And soon from her fireside nook steals up soft-footed puss, seeking a -friendly lap in which she may nestle and purr the hours away.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_042"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_042.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">From Trueblood's Cats by the Way</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Mother Cat and Her Playful Brood</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">This bundle of fur we call by the short name of cat was born in other -climes and trained in other ways than the dog, and is as sly and sleek -as the dog is rough and boisterous. It knows how to make itself at -home and dearly loves a soft spot, but it has never quite got rid of -its wild-life ways and is often as hard to make a friend of as the dog -is easy. Rarely does it follow at man's heels in the dog's faithful -fashion.</p> - -<p>When did man first take the cat into his house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> and make it one of -his pets? That is hard to say. If we go back to the early days of -civilization we find the cat an inmate of man's house as well as the -dog, and quite as much at home. It was kept in Egypt several thousand -years ago and thought so much of in those far-off days as to leave the -dog almost out of sight.</p> - -<p>The people of that old land loved and worshiped the cat, made it into -a mummy when it died, and any one who killed a cat was punished as if -he had committed a great crime. That was the golden age of the cat, for -one of the goddesses was said to have a cat's head, and the cat had a -sacred city of its own, the city of Bubastis, where a festival in its -honor was held every year and attended by more than half a million of -people.</p> - -<p>The people of Greece and Rome also thought much of the cat—perhaps -because it helped them to get rid of the rat, which was as great a -pest then as it is now. In later Europe also the cat was a favorite, -and it was the custom at Aix, in Provence, to get the finest male cat -that could be found, dress it like a baby, and seat it in a splendid -arm-chair for the people to bow down to and worship.</p> - -<p>The time came at length when the cat lost its good name and people -began to look upon it as an imp of evil and the companion of the witch -and the sorcerer. A black cat was the worst of all and its life was -a hard one. In those evil days<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> for the cat it became the fashion to -fling cats from the tops of high towers, and at Metz, at the festival -of St. John, cats were thrown by the dozen into a blazing fire and -burned alive.</p> - -<p>But better days have now come to pretty puss, and she is cared for as -much as the dog, making the house her nest while the dog lives largely -out-of-doors. It is chiefly at the late hours of the night that the -cat goes abroad. I need not tell any of you what follows. You have -all heard the music of a cat concert and felt as if you would like to -treat those midnight howlers as the witch-cats were treated of old. -Caterwauling we call it, and of all the noises of the night it is far -the worst.</p> - -<p>Where did the cat come from? That no one can tell exactly. There are -wild cats in many parts of the world, we find them in Asia, in Europe, -in Africa, in America, but none of them just like our household cat. -The fact is that cats differ in different parts of the world and they -may have come from several species. The Gloved Cat of Nubia comes -nearest to the house cat in size and the shape of the head and tail, -but in other ways is unlike it. So, on the whole, we are still in the -dark about the origin of the cat.</p> - -<p>One thing we do know, and this is that the cat has kept more of its -wild ways than the dog. In its nightly rambles it is like the wild-cat -of the woods. And even in the house it is a little too ready to show -its claws. It will scratch where a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> dog would not think of biting. It -is said that the cat loves places much more than it does people, and -in moving from one house to another it is hard to get the cat away. It -loves its old haunts more than its old friends.</p> - -<p>The cat walks on its toes like the lion and tiger and all its other -wild relations. But its claws do not touch the ground. They are drawn -up into a sort of sheath and kept sharp for use as a soldier keeps his -sword sharp in its scabbard. The paws being covered with fur, its step -is silent and its movements are quiet and cautious, as many a mouse has -found out.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_045"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_045.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Canada Lynx, the House Cat's "Cousin"</p> - </div> - -<p>We might not care so much for the cat if it were not of use to us in -killing those pests of the house, the rat and the mouse. No matter how -well fed she is, pussy dearly loves her mouse, and if on the track of -one she is not to be turned aside. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> will crouch for an hour at -a time watching a mouse-hole, never moving a hair until the victim -appears; then a single bound and all is over for the little creature. -Even if the cat is asleep, no mouse can pass it with safety. Its ears -and nose do not seem to sleep.</p> - -<p>Once caught, the mouse is played with in a manner that seems cruel to -us. The cat makes a game of letting its prey run away, but takes good -care it does not reach its hole. This, no doubt, is one of its wild -traits, handed down from its ancestors and never tamed out of it. We -are told by one observer that a cat will catch and eat twenty mice in -a day—this, of course, where mice are plentiful. But when a cat gets -a taste for poultry or rabbits it is spoiled as a mouser. And though -it is said that cats do not like to get wet, their fondness for fish -is greater than their dread of water and they have been known to go -fishing in a stream.</p> - -<p>It is not easy to make a treaty of peace between the cat and the dog. -Do they hate each other or are they jealous of their position in the -house? The cat is not a match for the dog and makes haste to get away -from the chasing cur, yet when driven into a corner it will put up a -good fight for its life, and many a dog has been sent yelping away from -its sharp claws. But this state of warfare does not always exist and it -is not uncommon for cats and dogs to live together on friendly terms.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_047"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_047.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Lippincott's Primer</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Ready for Business</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">If we go around the world we shall find cats everywhere and of many -kinds. There are not nearly so many varieties of them as there are -of dogs and they do not vary much in size like dogs, yet some breeds -of cats differ greatly from others. Thus the cats from the Isle of -Man—Manx cats they are called—have no tails, while their hind legs -are very long and strong and they are covered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> with a thick coat of fur -instead of hair. Let us compare this with the showy Angora cat, with -its tail like a great white plume and its long white hair. And they -differ as much in character, for the Manx is a hardy animal and the -Angora is a delicate parlor cat, its health needing to be carefully -looked after.</p> - -<p>Then there are the Malay cat, with a tail only half the full length; -the royal Siamese cat, fawn colored, with blue eyes and small head; the -Carthusian, with long, dark, grayish-blue fur; the South African, with -red stripes along its back; the Cyprus, striped and very tall, and the -handsome Persian cat with its long silky hair.</p> - -<p>As races are apt to be mixed, cat fanciers make color their chief point -of value. The principal colors are white, black, blue, blue-gray, -smoke-color, orange, and tortoise-shell. A true tortoise-shell tom-cat -brings a big price. The color of the eyes is very important. Blue -eyes are a sign of deafness. Some white cats have red eyes. As for -the hair, cats are divided into two classes, the long-haired and the -short-haired, the Persian and Angora being notable for the length of -their hair. Most common among our cats is the soot-colored or gray, -known as the "tabby," which has black stripes going round its legs, -neck, and tail, and also down its sides. These show a return to the -wild-cat in color, though tabby is as tame as her rivals.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> - -<p>The cat is not lacking in brain power nor in affection, for in many -cases it shows warm love for its mistress. There are various anecdotes -of cat logic, of which a few may be told. When crumbs have been thrown -out to feed the birds a cat will often hide in the shrubbery, waiting -for a chance to spring on them as they feed. One writer speaks of a -case where the cat went farther in its logic. The crumbs thrown out had -been covered by a light fall of snow, and the cat was seen scratching -the snow away. Then she took up the crumbs, laid them on the snow, and -hid behind the bushes to wait for the hungry birds.</p> - -<p>A cat trick which shows good reasoning power has often been seen, that -of opening latched doors, a thing which dogs very rarely do. Thus a cat -will spring from the ground, catch the latch handle with one paw and -with the other pull down the thumb-piece, at the same time scratching -with its hind paws at the door post to open the door. The cat that does -this must have seen men pull down the latch for the same purpose and -reasoned out that it could do the same.</p> - -<p>Also there are cases of cats learning to sound knockers and ring bells, -with no one to teach them. Thus a Mr. Belshaw writes: "I was sitting in -one of the rooms on my first evening there, and hearing a loud knock -at the front door was told not to heed it, as it was only the kitten -asking for entrance. Not believing this, I watched for my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span>self, and -very soon saw the kitten jump up to the door, hang on by one leg, and -put the other forepaw right through the knocker and rap twice." Here -the cat is not trying to open the door herself, but to bring some one -to open it for her.</p> - -<p>Dogs have been known to do the same thing, but not so often as cats, -and there is a story of a dog which had seen the cat do this, and after -that sought the cat when he wanted to get in, without trying to do the -trick himself. One story is told of a cat's ringing a bell by pulling -at an exposed wire.</p> - -<p>Though the cat's display of thought is not as varied as the dog's, it -is very good so far as it goes. Here is a story of a different kind. An -oil lamp was being trimmed and some of the oil fell on the cat's back. -Afterwards a cinder from the fire fell on it and set it in a blaze. The -animal at once sprang for the open door and ran up the street with her -back blazing for about a hundred yards. Here was the village watering -trough, into which she plunged and put out the fire. The trough had -eight or nine inches of water, and puss was in the habit of seeing the -fire put out with water every night. In this case it is plain that the -animal, as soon as the fire scorched her back, knew very well how to -deal with the danger.</p> - -<p>After all this, who will say that a cat does not think? Here is another -story, told of her cat by a London lady:</p> - -<p>"I once had a cat which always sat up to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> dinner-table with me, -and had his napkin round his neck and his plate and some fish. He -used his paw, of course; but he was very particular and behaved with -extraordinary decorum. When he had finished his fish I sometimes -gave him a piece of mine. One day he was not to be found when the -dinner-bell rang, so we began without him. Just as the plates were -being put round for the entrée puss came rushing upstairs with two mice -in his mouth. Before he could be stopped he dropped a mouse on to his -own plate and then one on to mine. He divided his dinner with me as I -divided mine with him."</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_051"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_051.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Hungry Babes and Playful Kitten</p> - </div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>Such is the cat, a sedate, warmth-loving creature, dearly loving to be -petted, yet far less dependent on man or woman than the dog. If left -to itself in the woods, the cat knows well how to take care of itself -where a dog would often be helpless. As for love of play, we do not -find much of it in the cat but we find plenty in the kitten, which is -a regular little rogue, lively, playful, frisky, brimful of fun and a -cute little creature in all its ways.</p> - - -<h3>OTHER FOUR-FOOTED PETS</h3> - -<p>Looking around us for our household pets after the dog and the cat, we -find that Bunny, the rabbit, comes next. Bunny is a darling pet of the -little ones, who dearly love to fondle this pretty bundle of fur. They -are sometimes too kind and the poor little thing suffers from their -fondness. That is the sad way with children's pets, they are at times -loved to death.</p> - -<p>But the rabbit is kept for something else than a child's plaything. It -is often raised for food, much like the hen and the duck, and its furry -skin brings a good price. Thus the Angora rabbit, the most beautiful of -them all, has splendid snow-white fur four inches and more in length, -which is made into many things useful to wear. Stockings, gloves, -shawls, and even stuffs for clothing are made of it. Under-garments -made of the Angora fur are said to be very good for gouty persons.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> - -<p>The pretty little Angora is so often kept as a pet by the ladies of -France and some other countries that it is called "the ladies' rabbit." -It is not always full white, for the Russian Angoras have jet-black -noses, ears, legs and tails, which make them look very comical.</p> - -<p>You would be surprised if you could see all the kinds of rabbits -brought together, for there are many more of them than you would think. -A splendid one is the little Silver rabbit, whose skin is used by the -fur-makers and brings a big price. Some of them are silver-brown and -others silver-yellow in color, but these are not common.</p> - -<p>The Dutch rabbit is the smallest of all the bunnies, and when the -colors are good it is very pretty. It may be black, yellow, steel-blue, -and of other colors, these hues being oddly combined. Other rabbits of -small size are the Polish and the French papillon (or butterfly). The -one called the Polish is really an English rabbit, and little folks are -very fond of it, with its red eyes twinkling out of its snow-white fur. -This fur is of high value. The papillon is white, with black, yellow, -gray, or blue spots, and is quite pretty.</p> - -<p>Then there is the Japan rabbit, also called the tricolor or -tortoise-shell. It has black, yellow and whitish markings and rings -round its body, while its head is often half yellow and half black.</p> - -<p>You can see from what has been said that color has much to do with the -difference in rabbits.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> The ears form another point. They are generally -long and stand straight up, giving the rabbit a wide-awake look, but -there is a lop-eared rabbit with ears so long and heavy that they hang -down on each side and nearly touch the ground.</p> - -<p>The king of all the rabbits in size is the Giant rabbit of Flanders. -Two others known as giants are the Blue Giant of Vienna and the Blue -Giant of Beveren (Flanders). The flesh of these Blue Giants is very -good and their fur brings a high price. That of the Blue Giant of -Beveren is very thick and close and is of great value. This animal -weighs from seven to ten pounds.</p> - -<p>We are familiar in this country with the Belgian hare. It is not a hare -at all, though it looks like one, but is really a rabbit, and is a fine -strong species, weighing six or seven pounds and excellent for the -table. It is a little wild, but soon grows gentle with those who care -for it. It used to be sent in great numbers to the United States.</p> - -<p>You may see from what has been said that there are many varieties of -the rabbit. Of those used for food much the best is the Norman rabbit, -which weighs nine or ten pounds and is sold in the markets in Paris and -other cities of France. The black-and-tan is one of the most beautiful -of the rabbits, from its splendid color, but it is very shy and hard -to tame. The last we need speak of is the Havana rabbit, of brown or -chocolate color, now much raised in Holland.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> - -<p>When the rabbit is taken good care of it is very healthy and those who -raise it for the market for its fur find it of much value, since it -increases in numbers very rapidly. Many of the young die, it is true, -but enough live to keep up a large family.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_055"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_055.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Rabbits near Their Burrow. The Young at Play, the Mother -Alert for Danger</p> - </div> - -<p>A good rabbit home may be made of a number of boxes of about the same -size, raised four or five inches above the ground and facing the sun if -they are kept in the open air. Casks or barrels may also be used, with -a door at one end of the barrel, covered with netting to keep out rats -and mice.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> - -<p>It is amusing to see the care with which the mother rabbit makes her -nest when she is about to have young. Some soft straw and hay is put in -the box or cask and this she carries into one corner of her home, makes -a hollow in it, and lines this with fur pulled from her breast, to make -a warm, soft nest for the little brood. When the young are born she -must be given something juicy, such as a turnip or carrot, or perhaps -a little warm milk or water, for if left thirsty she grows feverish -and is apt to eat the little ones, not knowing what she is doing. She -cannot bear thirst and it makes her do strange things. There may be new -broods of young five or six times a year, and if only three or four of -each brood live there will be a good many by the year's end.</p> - -<p>There are many other animals which are at times kept as pets by man, -though the dog, cat, and rabbit are the most common. The Ferret is -often kept, though not as a pet. It is a half wild little brute, hard -to tame and used for hunting, for some kinds of which it is very -useful. It is a sort of white weasel, long and slender, so that it can -make its way through rat holes or rabbit burrows. A brave little thing, -it is not afraid to attack the largest rat, and is good at clearing a -house of rats and mice. It is also used to drive rabbits from their -burrows. Nets are set to catch the prey or they are shot as they rush -out. But a muzzle is put on the ferret, for if it can kill the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> rabbit -and drink its blood it may stay for days in the hole. At other times a -long string is tied to it, so that it can be pulled out. The ferret is -sometimes used to chase and catch fowls. Once caught, a single sharp -bite on the neck puts an end to the life of the fowl.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_057"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_057.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Otter, One of Nature's Fishers</p> - </div> - -<p>The ferret is a blood-sucker, and this makes it dangerous when it has -once tasted blood. It has been known to attack a child in its cradle -when the mother was away, and will bite its master if not given enough -food or ill-treated in any way. It is an ugly tempered little brute, -usually unfit for petting. But Mr. Romanes tells of one kept by him -that was fond of being petted and would follow him like a dog when he -walked out. It was also taught tricks, such as begging for food and -leaping over sticks, and those it never seemed to forget.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> - -<p>The Guinea-pig, which is often kept as a home animal, has none of the -fierce ways of the ferret. In spite of its name, it has nothing to -do with the real pig, but is one of the gnawing animals, a timid and -stupid creature, that first came from South America. Large numbers of -them are found on the banks of the La Plata River, being there known as -the Cavy. They burrow in the ground and feed on fruits and herbs.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_058"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_058.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Guinea-Pig. Pig Only by Name, not by Nature</p> - </div> - -<p>What people like in the Guinea-pig is its pretty coloring. The wild -form is of a grayish-brown color, but as kept on the farm its color is -white, with patches of red and black. It is of no use to man except as -a pet, for it is not fit for food and is too stupid for anything else. -It has been said to drive off rats and mice, but this is a false notion.</p> - -<p>What can we say of the Hedgehog as a pet? Not much, though it is often -kept. It is no more a hog than the Cavy is a pig, but is not one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -the gnawing animals, for it lives chiefly on mice, game, birds, frogs, -insects and worms. This makes it very useful in a garden or in a house -in which roaches are a pest. The odd thing about the hedgehog is its -armor of sharp spines. When attacked by a dog or other animal it at -once rolls itself up into a ball with the spines pointing out in all -directions like those of the porcupine. Thus the little creature is -quite able to take care of itself. The dog may roll it about with his -foot but is afraid to bite into its spines.</p> - -<p>The Weasel has also been tamed and been found a lovable little animal. -The Otter is another tamable creature and can be taught to catch fish -and bring them to its master. Dr. Goldsmith tells us of one that would -go to the fish pond when told to do so, drive the fish into a corner, -seize the largest and carry it in its mouth to its master.</p> - -<p>There are many other animals that have at times been kept as pets, -among them such a queer one as the Kangaroo, with its very long hind -legs and very short fore-legs and its habit of jumping instead of -walking. A pet kangaroo of which we are told was a very man-like -or monkey-like creature in its way of eating, using its fore-paws -like hands to take food from its dish. What it most enjoyed was a -rabbit-bone, which it would take in its right paw and pick clean, -eating it with great relish.</p> - -<p>It was very fond of tea, but liked to have it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> well sweetened. If the -milk was left out it would lash its tail, draw up its tall figure -angrily and bound away with a long leap. Kanny had a very sweet tooth -and liked sugared almonds best of all titbits.</p> - -<p>Other odd pets we have heard of were a couple of Prairie dogs, brought -from Texas to Scotland and kept in a village garden. They proved very -friendly but needed to be locked up in a strong box at night, for -they would gnaw into shreds the mats and rugs and everything open to -their sharp teeth. But they were loving little things and had a way of -showing affection by a gentle pressure of their teeth on the hands of -their friends. If a stranger touched them in a timid way he was apt to -get a pinch but if a firm hold was taken they seemed to like it.</p> - -<p>These are only a few of the animals that have been kept as pets. -Cardinal Wolsey made a friend of an old carp, Cowper, the poet, loved -to play with his hares, and Lord Clive, the soldier, kept a pet -tortoise. Others of less note have made pets of snakes, frogs, lizards, -and various other animals. We have not tried to name them all and have -said nothing about so common a pet as the monkey, for we must keep this -funny fellow for a chapter of his own.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_061" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_061.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">II<br /> - -OUR SINGLE-HOOFED HELPERS</h2> - - -<p>Is there anywhere, has there ever been, a finer or more useful animal -than the horse, the swift racer of the plains, the noble lord of the -desert, the mainstay of the city and farm? To us the horse is as -familiar a friend as the dog. We see this fine animal everywhere that -man lives, now valued for his speed, when he flies away over the racing -field "with the wings of the wind;" now admired for his beauty and -stately form, when he draws the coaches of kings and nobles; now for -his great size, as the huge draught animal; now for his small size, as -the dainty little pony. It is sad to say also that we often see him as -the old, worn-out drudge of the streets, hard-worked, half-fed, and -slowly dying in harness.</p> - -<p>Go back as far as we can in history it is the same story still. The -horse is man's friend and helper, carrying him in the battle-field, -working for him on the farm, bearing him in his travels. But if we go -back beyond history we come to a time when the horse was free and wild. -It was not yet tamed by man, but was hunted and killed for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> food. In -the caves that were the homes of early man great numbers of horses' -bones are found, left from the feasts of old-time savage men.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_062"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_062.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Friends and Comrades</p> - </div> - -<p>The wild horse has not gone from the earth. Troops of them still live -on the vast plains of northern Asia, and they are found also in the -forests of the south of Russia, small, wiry animals, full of life and -spirit. These are called Tarpans. Centuries ago wild horses were to be -found in Spain and parts of Germany, but these have all been caught and -made to work for their living. America has its wild horses also, plenty -of them in South America, but they are not natives of the soil. Some of -the horses brought over from Spain by the early settlers escaped from -their masters and became free and wild in the great grassy plains.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -These are known as "mustangs" or "cimmarones," and no use is made of -them except by the Indians, who kill and eat some of them and tame -others.</p> - - -<h3>THE HORSE IN ALL LANDS</h3> - -<p>No matter where we find horses they are very much the same. They are -not like dogs, of which there are so many kinds. Of course there is -much difference in the size of horses and also in their colors, but -little difference in other ways. If we travel together over the earth -and see the horses of the various countries we shall find them very -much alike. Yet such a journey is well worth taking, for it will show -us many things we ought to know.</p> - -<p>The horse family, as very likely you know, differs from all other -animals in having only one toe. It comes from animals that had a number -of toes, but these have all gone but one, and the nail of this toe has -grown into a thick, horny hoof which keeps the foot from being hurt as -the horse gallops over its native plains. Its home is on broad, grassy -levels, soft to the tread. But when used by man it has to travel much -on hard and stony roads which would soon wear out its hoof. So to save -this it has to be shod with iron. The hoof is so thick that the iron -shoe can be nailed to it without touching the flesh.</p> - -<p>There are a number of animals much like the horse, but unlike it in -several ways. These animals<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> we shall speak of further on. One of the -special points by which one knows the horse is the long hairs which -cover the whole length of its tail. Another is its splendid, flowing -mane. It has also longer legs and smaller head and ears than the other -members of its family. Altogether a fine horse is one of the handsomest -of all animals. And among them all it is one of the most useful to man.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_064"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_064.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Rosa Bonheur's Famous Picture of the Horse Fair</p> - </div> - -<p>Now let us start on the journey abroad we laid out and see some of the -world's horses. If we go first to the grand plains of northern Asia, -the broad, level country called the steppes, the people of which are -always travelling about with their flocks and herds, we shall find -ourselves in the native land of the horse. In far-off times this was -the great region of the wild horse and here very likely it was first -made a slave of man.</p> - -<p>All the time on the move, as these shepherd people were, driving their -cattle and sheep from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> pasture to pasture, the horse was fitted for -their use by its strength and speed, and very long ago it must have -been caught and made to bear the saddle and bridle and carry man on its -back. No one can say how long ago this was, but these people are now -the great horsemen of the earth. They live with their horses, sleep -with them, and love them even more than they do their children.</p> - -<p>The Mongols of the steppes have almost lost the art of walking. They -live so much on horseback that their legs have become curved instead -of straight and when they walk their bodies bend forward as if they -were riding. The time was when great hordes of these wild horsemen -swept over the south of Asia and a great part of Europe, capturing and -killing the people wherever they came. Thus the horse has been of great -use in war.</p> - -<p>The horses of the steppes are of middle size but are very strong and -can go long without food and bear very hard work. They have quick, -alert ears and eyes full of life and spirit, and can easily travel from -forty to sixty miles in a day. Their color is light bay, cream color, -white spotted with red, or sorrel, and some of them are quite pretty.</p> - -<p>Here let us step aside to the British island and tell the story of a -famous horse, Black Bess, belonging to a famous rider, Dick Turpin, -the highwayman. Once when Dick was chased by the soldiers, this noble -animal carried him from London to York, a distance of one hundred and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -five miles, in eleven hours. And this was done over rough roads and -without a stop to eat or drink. As she entered the gates of York the -splendid beast fell dead. You may learn from this what the horse is -able to do.</p> - -<p>If we wish to see the noblest and finest of all horses we must go from -the grassy steppes of the north to the sandy deserts of Arabia, where -for thousands of years has been kept the splendid Arab breed, the pride -of their masters and the swiftest and most beautiful of the horse -tribe. Many of these have been brought to Europe to give their blood -to the racing stock. Black Bess, Dick Turpin's noble horse, had much -Arabian blood. But the best of these horses are not sold out of their -native land, for a true Arab horseman would almost rather sell his soul -than his horse.</p> - -<p>Persia also has its noble breed of horses, kept for desert travel and -of the same type as those of Arabia. The mountain horses of the Balkans -are of a similar type, beautiful in color, often a golden brown, with -dark brown manes and tails, and soft, glossy coats. Like the Persian -and Arabian they have delicate but strong bones, large muscles and much -power of work and travel.</p> - -<p>Russia, with its vast plains, is the great country for the horse. Most -of these are the horses of the steppes, which we have spoken of, but -the Russian peasants have many millions of working horses, tall, stout, -strong beasts, with powerful legs and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> solid hoofs. They are not only -strong, but willing and ready, and are good for riding as well as -drawing.</p> - -<p>Germany comes next to Russia in the old world in numbers of horses, and -is noted for its fine, large, handsome carriage horses. From the days -of George I. of England, to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, -eight of the splendid horses of Hanover were used to draw the royal -coach on all state occasions, and fine, stately animals they were.</p> - -<p>France has several fine breeds of horses, from the heavy Norman Coach -horse to the powerful French Draft horse and the well-known Percherons, -much used in this country. In England the hunting and racing horses -stand first. These, known as Thoroughbreds, are in great part of the -Arabian stock and there are no finer animals to be found for the -race-track. Of the many other large breeds in Europe we shall speak -only of the great draft horses of Belgium, known the world over for -their fine shape, great muscles and vast strength.</p> - -<p>Coming down now from these elephant-like horses it is a long step to -the pony, the toy animal found in the cold countries of the north. Best -known among these are the Shetland ponies, from the frosty islands -north of Scotland. These tiny creatures, sometimes less than three -feet high, are ridden by children and used in circuses. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> the chief -use in their native land for these poor little ponies is in the coal -mines, to draw the coal carts. Once taken into a mine, they never see -the light of day again, some of them living fifteen years in these dark -prisons.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_068"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_068.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">From Davis' Practical Farming</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Pure Bred Clydesdale Draft Horse</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">Another small, pony is the Norker horse of Norway, a strong little -creature, noted for its power of mountain travel and of swimming. The -ponies of Iceland are much like these, with thick coats of hair. These -get their food in winter by scraping away the snow with their hoofs and -eating the thin coat of grass and moss below.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sweden also has its ponies, as also the mountain regions of Britain and -other northern countries; but ponies are not confined to cold regions, -for we find them as far south as Italy and Greece, and in the Grecian -islands known as the Cyclades is a breed of ponies said to be still -smaller than those of the Shetlands.</p> - -<p>If we now cross the sea and come to our own country, the United States, -we find no native breed of horses, all those we have being of European -stock. This may seem strange when it is known that America was one -of the native homes of the horse. The ancestors of the horse dwelt -here, from little, five-toed animals of the size of a fox to the large -one-toed animal of the recent age. All over America horses once spread, -from the Arctic Seas to Patagonia, but when white men first reached -this soil not a horse remained. They all had gone, no one knows how, -and the continent had to be supplied again from European stock.</p> - - -<h3>RACER AND HUNTER</h3> - -<p>The horse has long been used in many ways by man; in cart, wagon, and -plough; on the race-track and in the hunting field; in war and in -peace. It has been man's great aid and helper, and through all the ages -until less than a century ago it was the fastest means of travel or of -sending news. Up to about 1830 all land travel was on horseback or by -coach, or else on foot. Then the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> locomotive came and brought a great -change. It was later still when men began to send news by lightning -express over the telegraph wire. In early days in our country the -mails, which now go so fast, were carried by old men on horseback, who -spent the time in knitting stockings as they jogged along slowly over -the rough roads.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_070"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_070.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Roman Chariot Race</p> - </div> - -<p>The horse has long been used not only in travel but also in sport, as -a hunter and racer. When we read the story of ancient days and of the -old Greeks and Romans we find many tales of chariot races. These old -nations had great oval buildings, with thousands of seats, and a long -oval race-track around which the horses had to run several times to -finish the race.</p> - -<p>These were not horseback races, like those of to-day, but races with -chariots like those used in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> war. Each chariot was drawn by four swift -horses and driven by a man who stood upright with reins and whip in -hand and drove his horses at full speed round the track. The great and -rich people took part in these races and many thousands of lookers on -cheered them wildly as they sped onward like flying eagles. If any of -you should like to read a good story of an ancient chariot race you can -find one of the best in General Lew Wallace's novel of "Ben Hur."</p> - -<p>In the Middle Ages riding was done on horseback, and when carriages -and coaches were brought into use people despised those who rode in -them, calling them weak and lazy. So in those days the racing was on -horseback, as it still is in most cases. Many of these races went on -in the open country, through rough fields and over streams. They were -called "clock races," for the prizes were little wooden clocks, or -clock towers. These were afterwards made in silver, and from them came -the name of "steeplechase," by which such races are now called.</p> - -<p>Regular race-courses began in England in the reign of James I., after -1600, and in later years many Arabian horses were brought to that -country and racing became a common sport. One of the most celebrated of -those early racers was Eclipse, a horse never beaten and never needing -whip or spur. Since then there have been many famous racers, and racing -has become very popu<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span>lar in all parts of Europe. A bad feature of it -is the habit of betting on the speed of horses, by which many men have -lost all their money.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_072"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_072.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Thoroughbred Racing Horse. A Trained Horse of This Breed -is the swiftest of all Animals</p> - </div> - -<p>Racing was early brought over to this country, and was common in the -South in the times of the colonies. It is still kept up. The trotting -horse has been developed in the United States until now we have the -best trotters in the world. In the British islands, as you may know, -the racing horses are made to run, or gallop, quite a different pace -from the trot.</p> - -<p>The trotting horses of this country began with a fine English horse -named Messenger, born in 1780, of Arabian stock. In 1806 it was -thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> splendid when a horse trotted a mile in 2.50 (2 minutes and 50 -seconds). There are now trotting horses which can make a mile in less -than 2 minutes. Running is a faster pace and a mile can be made in less -time, but Americans like trotting better.</p> - -<p>Shall I say something about the use of the horse in hunting? This has -long been a common sport in England and Ireland, much more so than in -this country. The owners of large estates in the British islands often -keep large packs of hounds, trained to chase the fox or the deer, and -known as fox-hounds and deer-hounds. Their stables are also filled with -horses, trained to run at full speed over rough country and jump high -fences and wide ditches.</p> - -<p>The hunting of deer and hares is an old form of sport, centuries old, -but now fox-hunting is liked better, and great care is taken to protect -the foxes for the use of the hunters. Fox-hunting is very hard work for -horses and only a good horse can be used as often as twice a week in -a fox-chase. There is a story of a deer hunt by the king's hounds and -horses where the chase was kept up nearly five hours over wild country. -It was so hard on horses and men that many of the riders had to give -up, two horses died in the field and seven others during the week. A -run of this length over rough ground, with all sorts of obstacles in -the way, will kill or badly injure the strongest horse.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> - -<p>Trained hunters can do wonderful feats of jumping over fences and -ditches, but this leads to many accidents, and the injury or death of -horse or rider in the hunting field often takes place.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_074"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_074.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Virginia Deer</p> - </div> - - -<h3>WAR-HORSE AND WORKING-HORSE</h3> - -<p>In far past times the horse was used in war far more than in our days. -Men can now kill one another fast enough without the use of horses, but -large numbers are still used in the army, to haul wagons and guns and -for those who fight on horseback.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> In ancient days no saddle was used, -soldiers riding their horses bareback, though the great men of the -armies rode in war-chariots. The old Roman horsemen did not use bits -or bridles, but guided their horses by a headband which pressed on the -nose, the reins being fastened to rings on this band. In later Roman -times the saddle was used, but the Germans they fought with still rode -bareback or used the skin of an animal for a saddle. They did not use -stirrups. It was the same with the great Tartar riders, who came from -the steppes of Asia and conquered great part of Europe and Asia.</p> - -<p>In the days of chivalry, when the knights wore steel armor and used -heavy harness, large and strong horses had to be ridden, but in later -days much lighter horses served for the soldiers' needs. Those who have -read of Napoleon's wonderful campaigns know how much use he made of his -cavalry, and many horses are still used in war, though not so many as -of old.</p> - -<p>If now we leave the story of the war-horse and the racer and hunter -and come to that of the working-horse we meet with an animal in which -strength and pulling power are of more account than show and speed. -For ages past the horse has worked faithfully for man, in the farming -field, along the country road, on the streets of the cities; hauling -the plow and harrow in the field, the wagon and cart along the road, -the carriage,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> car, dray and other wheeled vehicle in the street. And -its life has often been one of much suffering, and still is in some -countries, for there are nations in which the poor, patient horse is -treated with great cruelty.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_076"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_076.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Logging Team with a Heavy Load</p> - </div> - -<p>But in these days man has much less need of the horse than of old. Once -it did nearly the whole of man's hauling. Now the powerful locomotive -takes its place. In city streets the electric car saves the horse from -much of his former labor, and the automobile and auto-car are taking -the place of the horse for riding and hauling. Yet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> horses are still -in use in large numbers and it will be long before man gives up this -useful friend and helper.</p> - - -<h3>THE HORSE TAMER</h3> - -<p>The taming of wild horses is no light task. It is one that needs the -greatest skill and daring. The lasso, a long, strong rope with a noose -at its end, is the weapon of the tamer, with which he can bring down -the strongest and wildest animal. Chasing the wild horse on a tamed -one, trained in the art, the skilled rider, when near enough, will -fling his lasso with wonderful skill and rarely fails to catch the -fleeing animal in its strong noose. The horse he rides knows well its -duty, which is to pull back on the rope and check the flight of the -frightened creature.</p> - -<p>To bring the wild captive to the ground is only half the labor. It must -be saddled and bridled and ridden until it is worn-out and its wild -spirit gives way. It will plunge and rear, whirl round and kick in all -directions, even roll over and over, in a mad effort to throw the rider -from its back. Only when completely subdued will it yield, but once -tamed it may become a very faithful friend and servant to its tamer.</p> - -<p>Bucking is one of the ways a wild horse seeks to get rid of his rider, -and it takes a man of great skill to keep on the back of a bucking -horse. Lowering its head between its fore-legs, it gives<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> a wild leap -upwards and comes down with a smash of its hoofs on the ground. The man -that can keep in the saddle through two or three of these jumps must -make himself part of the horse.</p> - -<p>The men who do this are splendid riders, and the cowboys of the plains, -who have to take care of the great herds of cattle, almost live on -horseback. Such a man can often bend over from his horse, reach down, -and pick up a small object, such as a glove, from the ground while -riding at full speed.</p> - -<p>Every young horse has to be broken to harness before it is fit for -work. The freedom which it has been given in its youthful days must -come to an end, and this it does not like. For a race-horse the -breaking is done when it is about a year and a half old, but for a -working or coach horse it is left until it is three or four years old.</p> - -<p>The horse-breaker must be gentle and patient or he may spoil the temper -of the horse. He must get the colt used to be touched and to feel the -halter. After that he leads out the young animal with rein and halter. -The next thing is to teach the colt the feel of the bit. A bit may -be put into its mouth every day while it is in the stable, so as to -accustom it to the feel of the metal. It is then taken out and driven -with long reins fastened to the bit, and taught to move to the pull of -the rein. After this the horse can be harnessed and put to work.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> - -<p>All this takes much time and trouble and it is only done with fine -horses, other horses being broken with less pains. But if the animal is -high-bred a quick breaking may spoil its courage or ruin its temper.</p> - - -<h3>THE ARAB AND HIS HORSE</h3> - -<p>Would you not like to hear some more about the Arabian horse, the -noblest and best of his race? I have told how all our best racers are -of Arab stock and how dearly the Arab loves his horse. A child of -the desert, often having to go long and far without food and under a -blazing sun, the horse becomes very hardy.</p> - -<p>It may be tied by all four legs to stakes set in the ground and kept -there for many hours, the sun burning hot, yet if now its legs are set -free and its master springs upon its back it is as full of life and -spirit and as eager for a wild ride as if it had been taken fresh from -the stable.</p> - -<p>The comrade of its master by day and night, his support and comfort, -ready to go without food or drink in his service, the horse and its -rider grow more like two lovers than like master and servant. The -poverty of the Arab may at times force him to sell his horse, but it is -like selling a part of himself.</p> - -<p>"My eyes! my soul! my heart!" he will say, "must I be forced to give -thee a new master, and not keep thee myself? I am poor, my antelope;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -I brought thee up in my dwelling as a child; I did never beat or chide -thee."</p> - -<p>Then he will embrace the noble animal, wipe its eyes with his -handkerchief, rub its glossy skin with his sleeve and remain long -talking to it as if he was parting with his dearest child.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_080"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_080.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Famous Arab Steeds and Desert Riders</p> - </div> - -<p>"When I was at Jerusalem," says Chateaubriand, "the feats of one of -those steeds made a great noise. The Bedouin to whom the animal, a -mare, belonged, being pursued by the governor's guards, rushed with him -from the top of the hills that overlooked Jericho. The mare scoured at -full gallop down an almost perpendicular declivity without stumbling -and left the soldiers lost in admiration and astonishment. The poor -creature,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> however, dropped down dead on entering Jericho, and the -Bedouin, who would not quit her, was taken, weeping over the body -of his faithful companion. Ali Aga showed me, in the mountains near -Jericho, the footsteps of the mare that died in the attempt to save her -master."</p> - -<p>Here is one more story of the Arabian horse. "When the envoy," says -Sir John Malcolm, "was encamped near Bagdad, an Arab rode a bright -bay mare, of extraordinary shape and beauty, before his tent until he -attracted his attention. On being asked if he would sell her—</p> - -<p>"'What will you give me,' was the reply.</p> - -<p>"'That depends upon her age; I suppose she is past five.'</p> - -<p>"'Guess again,' said he.</p> - -<p>"'Four?'</p> - -<p>"'Look at her mouth!'</p> - -<p>"On examination she was found to be rising three. This, from her size -and fine shape, added much to her value.</p> - -<p>"'I will give you fifty tomans,' said the envoy. (The toman is worth -about five dollars.)</p> - -<p>"'A little more—if you please.'</p> - -<p>"'Eighty—a hundred.'</p> - -<p>"He shook his head and smiled. The officer at last came to two hundred -tomans.</p> - -<p>"'Well,' said the Arab, 'you need not tempt me farther. You are a rich -elchee (nobleman); you have fine horses, camels, and mules, and I am<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -told you have loads of silver and gold. Now,' he added, 'you want my -mare, but you shall not have her for all you have got.'"</p> - - -<h3>ANECDOTES OF THE HORSE</h3> - -<p>The horse has a mind of its own, and now and then lets us see that it -can think, but it does not seem to have as good brain-power as the dog -or the cat. There is much reason for this. The horse eats grass and -does not need to think how to get its food. The dog and cat eat meat, -and in their wild state have to catch other animals for food. To do -this they have to use tricks and plans which need thought and thus -their minds are kept busy.</p> - -<p>Also they are in danger from other animals. Take the fox, which is a -sort of cousin of the dog. When chased by men and dogs it has many ways -of getting away from them besides running. This is not the case with -the horse, which is one of the best of runners and trusts to its heels -instead of its brain to escape from its enemies. So in its wild state -it does little work with its brain.</p> - -<p>The horse is a timid animal and easily scared. And when in a state of -fright it seems to have no power of thought. All it does is to run in a -mad way, rushing along over roads and streets without heed of where it -is going, and sometimes knocking out its brains against a post or wall. -You will not find a scared fox or wolf show such lack of sense as this. -They never get into a wild panic like the horse.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> - -<p>Thus there is very little in the life of the horse to make it think. -Yet it can think to some extent, as may be seen from a few anecdotes. -It can also be taught to do tricks that need some brain-power. I think -you will like to read some stories of horse-thought.</p> - -<p>The horse has a good memory, as any one can see when riding over roads -which it travelled long before. There are many stories of men trusting -to their horses when they were in a dangerous place, and in this way -being brought out all right. A friend of Darwin, the naturalist, wrote -him this in a letter:—</p> - -<p>"I want to tell you an instance of long memory in a horse. I have just -driven my pony down from London here, and though she has not been here -for eight years she remembered her way quite well, and made a bolt for -the stables where I used to keep her."</p> - -<p>This is only one out of many cases that could be told. A horse driven -by a doctor or milkman does not need to be drawn up before certain -houses. It knows just where to stop. There is a story told of a -gentleman who was in the habit of stopping his horse to give money to -every beggar he met on the road. He loaned or sold this horse to a -friend, who soon wrote to him asking him to take his horse back again.</p> - -<p>"I cannot pass a beggar on the road but the old fellow will stop and -will not start again until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> I have given the man something. If I have -no money I have to pretend to give before I can get him to move on."</p> - -<p>Some horses have the sense to help themselves in various ways. One of -these learned how to step out of its halter when the coachman had left -it for the night. Then it would pull out the sticks in the pipe of the -oat-bin so as to let all the oats run down over the stable-floor. Of -course, it had seen the coachman pull out these sticks and knew that -this was the way to get a free lunch. The same horse would also turn -the water-tap to get a drink and pull the window cord to open the -window on hot nights.</p> - -<p>Not many horses are as smart as this, yet numerous tricks played by -horses could be told. There is one told of a horse which, when turned -into a field where there was a pump, soon found out how to get water. -He would take the pump-handle in his mouth and work it with his head -until he had all the water in the trough he wanted to drink. Of course, -he had seen men work the handle in this way.</p> - -<p>A number of stories could be told of horses which went themselves to -the blacksmith shop when their shoes were out of order. One is of a -Shetland pony which came to a blacksmith shop a long distance from its -home and thrust its head in the door. The blacksmith drove it away but -it soon came back again. Then the smith looked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> at its feet and found -that one shoe was gone. He made and put on a shoe and then waited to -see what the animal would do.</p> - -<p>"For a moment it looked at the blacksmith as if asking whether he was -done. Then it pawed once or twice to see if the newly-shod foot was -comfortable, and finally gave a pleased neigh, lifted its head, and -started homewards at a brisk trot. The owner was much surprised to find -the horse at home that evening, fully shod, and could not understand it -until the smith had told him the story of his pony's wit."</p> - -<p>One of the smartest tricks we have met with is told of a mule, an -animal which is not supposed to have the sense of a horse. It belonged -to a gentleman living at Iowa City, and was an expert at getting into -mischief. It took every chance when the yard-gate and barn-door were -open to slip in and steal a mouthful of oats. One morning it was found -in the barn with the gate shut and latched and no one could tell how it -got there. This went on for some time, until a watch was set and the -smart mule was "caught in the act."</p> - -<p>This is the way it worked. It would reach over the fence with its head -and lift the gate latch. Then when the gate swung open it would go -through into the yard and back up against it, pushing it to till the -latch caught. This done, it went to the barn, pulled out the pin that -held the door, and walked calmly in. The owner says: "I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> am of the -opinion, had not discovery of the trick prevented, it would soon have -occurred to him to retrace his steps before daylight, in order to avoid -the clubbing which the stable boys gave him in the morning."</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_086"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_086.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Pair of Prize Mules</p> - </div> - - -<h3>THE ASS, ZEBRA AND MULE</h3> - -<p>The animal called the ass is a near relation of the horse, one best -known to us under its common name of Donkey. It is like the horse in -some ways and not like it in others. The ass is much smaller than -the horse, being nearer the size of the pony. It has a heavy head, -thick lips, long ears, and a tail not covered with long hair like the -horse's tail, but with a tuft of hair at the end like that of a cow. A -decided difference is in its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> voice, the bray of the donkey being an -ear-splitting sound, not at all like the neigh of the horse.</p> - -<p>The wild ass is found through all parts of Central and Southern Asia -and also in Northern Africa. It is spoken of in the Bible. The book of -Job praises this animal for its love of liberty. Job says of it: "He -scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the cry of -the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture and he searcheth -after every green thing."</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_087"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_087.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of Amer. Conservatory</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Mexican Donkey Waiting for the Last Straw</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">That is a good picture of the wild ass, for it seems to like every -green thing. It eats the bitter herbs of its favorite regions, the -mountain spinach, the dandelion, the thistle, and the witch grass, and -drinks the salt water of the Caspian Sea as readily as fresh water. -It is taller and stouter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> than the donkey, very active and able to -bear fatigue. Its winter coat resembles that of a camel, being long -and fleecy, but in summer its hair is soft and silky and silvery white -beneath.</p> - -<p>The Tartars and Persians kill and eat this animal, but it has sharp -eyes and keen ears and is a swift runner, so that it is hard to shoot. -When taken young it is easily tamed, and if well fed grows to be a -strong and handsome animal which sells at good prices.</p> - -<p>Such is the fine animal which has been turned into the dwarfed and -stupid donkey of Europe. To be dull and obstinate is not native to -this animal. Its lack of sense comes in great part from the way it is -treated and its being taken to a climate too damp and cold for it. In -the warm, dry regions of the south it is a finer animal and gets better -care, and here the people often pet and love their donkeys.</p> - -<p>In China and Persia there is a fine race of asses, used only for -riding, and these are so thick in Bokhara that the streets are often -crowded with them. They are of many colors, white, black, brown, -blue-gray, etc. The donkeys of Egypt also are handsome animals, with an -easy gait that makes them much liked for riding. Still handsomer are -those of Upper Egypt and Nubia, which are such fine creatures that they -sell for more than horses.</p> - -<p>In the western states of this country and in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> Spanish republics is -a very small donkey, called the Burro, much used as a carrier of loads -in the mountain regions and in the streets of cities. There are also -great numbers of wild asses in parts of South America, Patagonia having -very many of them. They were once so abundant in the Cape Verde and -Canary Islands that they were hunted and killed like beasts of game. -Aside from their flesh, which is much liked when they are young, the -skin is of value, being made into parchment, vellum and shagreen.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_089"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_089.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Striped Zebra of Africa</p> - </div> - -<p>The Zebra, one of the most beautiful of animals, from its handsomely -striped skin, is a member of the horse family, but one of which we do -not need<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> to speak, since it is found only in a wild state. It has in -some cases been tamed and trained to harness, but it is an obstinate -and hot-tempered brute, so that few have tried to tame it.</p> - -<p>Another striped animal of Africa rather like the zebra, is the Quagga, -but this has been hunted and killed till now none of them can be found. -Its name came from its cry ("quag-ga quag-ga"), as different from the -neigh of the horse as from the bray of the ass.</p> - -<p>A cross has been made between the zebra and the horse, which has been -named the Zebrule or Zebroid. These have proved strong and easy to -train for harness and saddle. There are several of them now in the -government collection of animals at Washington, and some time they may -prove useful.</p> - -<p>But the best cross-breed is that between the horse and the ass, well -known to us all as the Mule. The breeding of mules has been carried on -from very old times and is now common in many parts of the earth. It -yields an animal which is cheaper to keep than the horse and better -fitted for many kinds of work.</p> - -<p>I hardly need tell you what the mule is like, for all of you have often -seen this ugly and at times very obstinate, but hard-working brute. -The mule is much like the horse in size and shape, but it has the long -ears, the tufted tail, the thin, wiry legs, and the narrow hoofs of the -ass. And<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> while its coat is like that of the horse, its voice comes -near that of the ass.</p> - -<p>The mule is like the ass also in being strong, hardy and not given to -disease. Even when thirty years old it often shows no sign of age. Thus -it is useful for more years than the horse, eats less, and is fit for -work not suited to the horse.</p> - -<p>The mule is of great use in carrying loads over mountain paths. It has -a firm, sure foot and can carry loads of five hundred pounds for weeks -at a time over pathless hills. The planters of the South could not do -without it in their cotton and sugar fields and it takes the place of -the horse for much of the street work of cities.</p> - -<p>This is not all. Mules are often used for riding and are very good for -this. They are also used in carriages. They are raised in large numbers -in Spain, where fine ones bring high prices, selling from $150 to $350.</p> - -<p>We should hardly look to the donkey and the mule for signs of powers -of thought, but it is likely that they are equal to the horse in -intellect. The story of a gate-opening mule, given above, goes beyond -anything we have found said about the horse, and it is very likely that -all those members of the horse tribe, which are much alike in habits, -are also much alike in thought powers.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_092 " > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_092.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">III<br /> - -CLOVEN-HOOFED DRAUGHT ANIMALS</h2> - - -<p>Now we come to the two-toed animals, those called the cloven-hoofed. -Looking at our own arms and legs we find five toes on each foot and -five fingers on each hand and might fancy that this is the natural -number. We find it to be so with the monkeys and with many other -animals but we soon find some with fewer toes. Thus the dog, while it -has five toes on its fore feet, has only four on its hind feet.</p> - -<p>In the tapir and the rhinoceros we meet with three-toed animals and -soon come across two-toed and one-toed animals. The two-toed are very -common, for we find them in the sheep and cattle of our fields, the pig -of the barnyard, the camel, the deer, the antelope, and several other -kinds. As for the one-toed, their story has just been told.</p> - -<p>Is it not worth knowing that the fewer toes an animal has the faster -and longer it can run? We find this in the one-toed horse, and its -cousins, the ass and the zebra, the greatest runners of all animals. -Next to them come the two-toed animals. Of these the deer and antelopes -are fast<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> runners, though some of them run very little. We do not -find many runners among the five-toed animals. Those of the cat tribe -are better at jumping than running. In the dog tribe, in which are -the wolves and foxes, there are good runners, but these animals trust -to their wits as much as to their legs, catching their game often by -cunning tricks.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_093"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_093.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Native Ox Cart of Delhi, India</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">Another matter of some interest is the fact that all the one-toed -animals are much alike in form and habit, while the two-toed differ -so much that we can find little or no likeness between them. Take the -ox, the goat, the pig, the buffalo, and the camel. Are these alike in -anything except their split hoofs? The fact is that the single hoof -seems to fit animals only for running, while the double hoof fits them -for various kinds of life. We find<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> them at home in the desert, on the -mountains and plains, in the forest depths, and in swampy regions, -their forms and habits changing to suit the kind of life they lead.</p> - -<p>Many of these animals have been tamed and made to serve man in various -ways. We can see them all about us, some of them kept for food, some -for work in the field or on the road. Let us take a look at those used -for work.</p> - - -<h3>THE OX AND BUFFALO</h3> - -<p>That great lumbering beast we call the ox, with his long horns and his -slow, lazy walk, is one of the strong workers of the world. Go where we -will we see him, pulling the plough or the cart and wagon. If we leave -home and go over the world we shall find many people using the ox. In -South Africa we may see long teams of them pulling the heavy wagons of -the farmers. In India the Hindu people eat no meat, but they keep many -cattle to work in their fields. It is the same in many other countries -both of the Old and the New World.</p> - -<p>Among our own people the ox is much used as a working animal. While -large use is made of the horse and donkey, the strength and patience -of the ox give it great value and it is used for many kinds of work. -Though a slow, plodding animal, it can pull a big load by the aid of -its wooden yoke. In the fields of the South the farmers and planters -could not well get along without it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> - -<p>Our ox is not the only worker of his kind. In far-off Asia there are -two other animals which are cousins of the ox and are made to work -like him. Their names belong to the end of the alphabet, for they are -called the Yak and the Zebu. The Yak is found in Tibet and other parts -of Central Asia, where it is tamed and put to work, but not to pull the -cart or the plough. It can carry heavy loads and travel twenty miles a -day.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_095"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_095.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Hauling Sugar Cane in Puerto Rico</p> - </div> - -<p>This animal has a thick coat of long, silky hair, which hangs nearly to -the ground. Ropes and cloth are made from it. The tail is just a great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -bunch of long hair. The Yak does not bellow like the ox but gives a -short grunt. Its milk is very rich, and fine butter is made from it.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_096"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_096.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The White Yak of the Asiatic Mountains</p> - </div> - -<p>The Zebu is kept in India, China, East Africa and the islands of the -eastern seas. It is much like the ox but has a big hump of fat on its -shoulders. Sometimes there are two humps. In this way it is like the -camel. Some of the zebus are larger than any oxen and some are only as -big as a large mastiff dog. They are quiet, gentle animals, made to -work in the plough and in the road and also used for riding. They can -travel from twenty to thirty miles a day.</p> - -<p>There is another animal much used for the same kind of work, the -Buffalo. This is not the animal long known in our country as the -buffalo, but which is really not a buffalo, its proper name being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -bison. It is not a savage animal and could easily have been tamed and -put to work. But as the settlers in the colonies had the ox and the -horse already trained to their work no one tried to tame the bison. -Since no one cared for these great animals, the hunters got after them -and shot them in such vast numbers that now they are nearly all gone. -Where fifty years ago there were millions of them in the West, to-day -there are only a few hundreds to be found anywhere.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_097"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_097.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The American Bison alone on the Prairie</p> - </div> - -<p>The real buffalo is found in the south of Asia and Europe, where it -is tamed and put to work, much use being made of it. There is another -species found in Africa which is very fierce and savage, hunters often -being more afraid of it than they are of the lion. The buffalo of India -is also savage in its wild state and the princes of that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> country set -it to fight with the tiger in their public shows. Armed with great, -sharp horns, it is more than a match for the tiger.</p> - -<p>In its tame state the buffalo is a very docile animal when it is well -treated, but will not bear bad treatment. In size and shape it is like -a large, clumsy ox, but it is much stronger than the ox and can carry -or draw a much heavier load. Thus it is of great value as a working -animal.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_098"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_098.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Cultivating Rice Field with the Chinese Ox. Hawaii</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">It is used in many parts of the East. The farmer in the Philippine -Islands could not get along without it, as it is his common helper in -the fields. Known there by the name of Carabao, it is loved by its -owner and played with by his children, and is the plough-horse of the -islands. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> can be driven by a mere child. The plough used there is no -more than a heavy stick of wood sharpened to a point at one end, with a -handle for the farmer and a beam to which the buffalo is harnessed.</p> - -<p>This is the way in which the rice fields of the East are worked. The -buffalo is also kept in Egypt, Greece, Italy and some other countries -and everywhere is a very useful working animal. But it has one habit -that needs to be looked after.</p> - -<p>By nature it is a swamp dweller, and can keep its head under water for -two minutes at a time, feeling at the bottom of pools and streams for -certain favorite plants. If it is to be kept in health it must have -its daily mud-bath. It loves to fling itself in the mire and shuffle -about until it is covered with mud from its tail to its eyes. When it -has dried itself in the sun it looks like a huge clay image. It has its -reason for this, for in those swamp regions are millions of stinging -flies and the mud is intended as a coat of armor.</p> - -<p>Strong as the buffalo is, it cannot work for more than two hours -without rest, and will not live long if kept at a distance from -streams. Its fondness for mud and water is the habit that needs to be -looked after. It is not safe to load it with any goods that are likely -to be spoiled by water, for it will lie down with its load in any -stream it comes near.</p> - -<p>Travellers who have ridden on the Philippine Carabaos have found out -this habit in a way not to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> their liking, for they have more than once -been flung suddenly into a mud-bath by their ugly steeds. If the animal -sees a bed of mud along the road he is sure to fling himself into it -unless kept out by a strong rein. And unless his rider gets off in a -hurry he will be treated in the same way. In Italy the buffalo is most -at home in the Pontine Marshes, and no one can keep it anywhere unless -there are mud and water near at hand.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_100"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_100.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Carabao, the Working Animal of the Philippine Islands</p> - </div> - - -<h3>THE LAPLAND REINDEER</h3> - -<p>While the buffalo is the draught animal of the sultry south and the -ox of the more temperate regions, in the freezing north the Reindeer -takes their place. Among the many species of deer, some of which,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> as -the moose and elk, are large and strong, this is the only one that has -been made to work for man. The people of Lapland could not live without -it, and it is also of very much use to the tribes of northern Siberia. -We have the same animal in the northern parts of America, where it is -called the Caribou, but there it has rarely been tamed and is hunted as -game.</p> - -<p>The Laplander uses the reindeer as we use the horse and as the Eskimo -uses the dog, as a travelling animal. It is strong and swift and can -easily draw a weight of two hundred pounds on a sledge. It can travel -for a long time at a speed of nine or ten miles an hour.</p> - -<p>A rich Laplander is a man who owns a great many reindeer, some of them -having herds of two thousand or more. To the men of Lapland, as we are -told, "the reindeer serves as a substitute for horse, cow, sheep, and -goat." It gives fine milk, is a good traveller, its hair is of use, and -its flesh and skin are of much value. Almost every part of the dead -animal can be used in some way, so that it serves the Laplander dead or -alive.</p> - -<p>It is not hard to keep. In the summer it feeds on the shoots of the -willow and the birch, and in winter on the reindeer-moss and other -snow-covered plants. To get at these it uses both its hoofs and its -long, branching antlers in digging through the snow. This is the way -in which various hoofed animals keep themselves in the winter, such as -the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> musk-ox of the far north. The horse does the same in such cold -countries as Iceland.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_102"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_102.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Herd of Reindeer Brought from Lapland for the Use of the -Indians of Alaska</p> - </div> - -<p>As I have said, we have a reindeer of our own in the Caribou, but no -one has really tamed it and put it to work. Yet it would be useful in -the north of Canada, and reindeer have been brought from Lapland to -Alaska and Labrador. They seem to do well there and may in time become -of much service to the Indians and to white settlers.</p> - - -<h3>THE SHIP OF THE DESERT</h3> - -<p>Far away from where we live, in what may be called the world of the -East, there are mighty deserts, almost oceans of sand. These are oceans -without water, vast tracts of land in which no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> blade of grass can -grow, except where a green oasis rises like an island in their midst. -Such a desert covers nearly the whole of Arabia and other wide regions -in Asia. On the map of Africa may be seen a still greater one, that -which bears the name of the Sahara.</p> - -<p>In these deserts no rain falls to water the thirsty soil, springs are -few and far apart, and those who travel through them must carry food -and water on their journeys. These great sand oceans have their native -animal, the humped and long-necked Camel, the "ship of the desert," as -it is fitly called, since it carries freight and passengers over the -sand-strewn lands as ships do over the wide seas.</p> - -<p>An ugly brute is the camel, with its humped back, its long neck, short -legs, and bunches of shaggy hair. But ugly as it is the Arab finds -something in it to praise, and could not well live in the desert -without it. Arabia and the other deserts of Asia are the camel's native -soil, and nature has fitted it well for its home in the sands. It does -not belong to the Sahara, but was taken there by the Arabs. But it -finds itself much at home on that world of sand. It is not well suited -for fertile countries, though it is used in India and China to carry -loads for their people.</p> - -<p>The camel is a two-toed animal but is like the horse in having only one -hoof. This is a broad pad or cushion which takes in both its toes and -fits it to travel over the soft sand. It is not hard,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> like the horse's -hoof, but elastic so as to yield at every step.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_104"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_104.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Sahara Desert Scene. The Mohammedan driver hobbles the -animal's foot while at prayer</p> - </div> - -<p>It is not only by its foot that the camel is fitted to dwell in the -realms of sand, for it seems made for the desert in every part of its -body. There are two kinds of camels, the Arabian, with one hump, and -the Bactrian, of the northern deserts, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> two humps, and it is these -which give it so ugly a shape.</p> - -<p>Are these humps a kind of saddle made for man's use, you ask? Not at -all, for the camel had them before there were any men to ride him. -They are really food supplies, masses of fat which help to keep the -animals alive on long journeys. No wise Arab will set out to cross the -desert without feeding his camel until its hump is full and plump, for -in this the animal carries its own food. It dines and sups on its hump -when there is nothing else to eat, so that the hump shrinks and grows -smaller.</p> - -<p>But how does the camel find water to drink in the dry desert? Has it -a water supply as well as a food supply? We should not think this -possible, yet it has. In long journeys it needs water as well as food -and inside it is a well-filled water vessel. There are "water-cells" in -its stomach, in which about a gallon and a half of water can be stored -away, enough to last for three days if no water is found. At times, -when the rider is in great need of water, he will kill his camel so as -to get this store from its stomach.</p> - -<p>There are still other ways in which the camel is fitted for a desert -life. Thus it has fine powers of sight and smell. It can smell water -when it is more than a mile away and if tethered will break its halter -and run in a straight line for the well or spring. Its nostrils are -mere slits, which it can<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> close when the wind fills the air with sand. -At times a burning wind called the simoon blows fiercely across the -desert. Then the camel falls on its knees, stretches its long neck like -a snake along the sand, and closes its nostrils to keep out the sand -carried by the wind. Thus it stays till the storm is past. At the same -time the driver wraps his face in his mantle and hides himself behind -his beast.</p> - -<p>There is one other thing to say. The camel likes good food when it is -to be had, but it can live on any kind of plants. It will eat anything -in the way of leaves, shrubs, dry sticks, or vegetable matter of any -sort, and can live on food on which many animals would starve. You may -see from all this how wonderfully it is fitted for a desert life.</p> - -<p>Are we not right in saying that without the camel the Arab would find -it hard to live in the desert? For ages past long caravans of camels -have been crossing the sea of sand from the fertile lands of the nearby -countries to the oases where the settled Arabs dwell. Not until the -camel is four years old does its training as a carrier of loads begin. -Then it is taught to kneel down and to rise at a given signal, light -weights being at first put on it and heavier ones afterwards.</p> - -<p>It can carry heavy weights, its loads ranging from 500 to 1000 pounds, -some breeds of camels being much stronger than others. In desert -journeys it is expected to carry this load twenty-five<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> miles a day for -three days without drink. The swift animals used for riding will carry -their rider with his food and water fifty miles a day for five days -without drinking. A camel lives from forty to fifty years, so you may -see that it is of great value to its master.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_107"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_107.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Rug Laden Caravan</p> - </div> - -<p>If too heavy a load is put on its back the camel will not rise from its -knees; but when once on foot it is very patient and will plod on under -its heavy load until it is ready to die. When its load is taken off it -does not seek the shade, like other animals, but kneels down in the -full glare of the sun, as if it loved the burning sand.</p> - - -<h3>THE DROMEDARY</h3> - -<p>There are almost as many breeds of camels as there are of horses, and -the kind used for riding is as different from the load-carrier as the -race-horse is from the cart-horse. The burden-bearer has a thick body, -heavy feet, coarse hair, and a slow pace. The racing breed is thin of -body, fine-haired, and much more elegant in shape. It is as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> celebrated -for its swift speed as is the Arabian horse, and a good animal is able -to carry its rider a hundred miles in a day.</p> - -<p>While all the single-humped camels are often called dromedaries, it is -more correct to speak of the racing camel as the dromedary. An Arab -sheik is as proud of a fine animal of this kind as an American or -Englishman is of his fine race-horse.</p> - -<p>But if any of you should ever be asked to mount a camel it would be -wise to decline the honor, unless you are good at holding on, for -camel-riding is an art that must be learned. The awkward animal has -a swinging and jolting gait that is hard to get used to. During the -world's fair at Chicago in 1893 one of the greatest amusements of the -Midway was to see people trying to ride the camels which had been -brought to the Egyptian section of the fair. It was much better fun for -the lookers-on than for the riders. In camel-riding a saddle is not -used, as on the horse, but a sort of platform is fastened on the hump.</p> - -<p>The camel we have so far spoken of is the one-humped Arabian kind. The -two-humped or Bactrian species is larger and stronger but is not nearly -so common. It is found in the desert region of the north from the Black -Sea to China. Both kinds are found in Central Asia, but the Bactrian -goes as far north as Siberia, where the cold is often very severe and -it has to live on the leaves and twigs of the willow and birch trees.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> - -<p>Though the camel is fitted by nature for life in the desert, it is much -used elsewhere. For ages past it has been the great carrier in Asia, -long camel trains, or caravans, taking the place of the modern railroad -train. It is also used for pulling carts and for ploughing, in which -yokes of four camels may be seen. You could not think of anything more -awkward or clumsy-looking than a camel harnessed to a cart.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_109"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_109.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">From Madeira's Hunting in British East Africa</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Camel Hauling Water. The Camel is Used Alike as a Carrier and a Drawer -of Burdens</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">If any one asks about the intellect of the camel we can only say that -it does not show much sign of having any. It seems to be a stupid -creature, with only sense enough to protest against bad treatment. In -most cases it is very docile but if ill-treated it can be as obstinate -as a mule. Also it bears in mind a wrong done to it and will at times<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -wait a long time to revenge itself. The camel-driver knows this and if -he thinks the animal is waiting its chance to attack him he will throw -his clothes before it. These the animal tosses and tramps on in a wild -rage. After that it appears to forget the wrong done it and the man is -safe.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_110"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_110.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Yaks Picketed near Camp in India</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">The camel is useful to its owner in other ways than those mentioned. -Thus it supplies him with food, the Arabs being fond of the flesh of -the young camel, which tastes like veal. Camel's milk is also excellent -to drink and can be made to yield butter and cheese. The hair is woven -by the Arab into cloths suitable for clothing and for tent covers and -the finer hair is used for paint brushes. So living and dead the camel -serves his master.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> - - -<h3>THE LLAMAS AND ALPACAS</h3> - -<p>If my readers are now ready to leave the deserts of Asia and go with me -to the mountains of South America they will find there the only animals -on the earth that are relatives of the camel. How the family of the -camels came to be so widely separated no one knows. As it is, we find -than on two sides of the earth with no links to join them.</p> - -<p>In Peru and Chile there are four different kinds of these camels of -the New World, two of which, the Llama and Alpaca, have been tamed, -the others being wild. These are not animals of the desert, but lovers -of the hills, as they dwell on the highest parts of the Andes. Like -the camels of the East, they have long been in the service of man. -The Llama was the bearer of burdens for the old Peruvians and is a -burden-bearer to-day, though the mule is beginning to take its place.</p> - -<p>These animals do not look like the camel. Their backs have no humps and -their heads are more like that of the deer. Instead of the small ears -of the camel they have erect ears like the mule. But they have long -necks like the camel, also cushioned feet and a stomach that is fitted -to hold water. This is strange in animals that have no need to store up -water. It seems as if the habit of storing water began very long ago -among the ancestors of the camel tribe.</p> - -<p>The Llama is a much smaller animal than the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> camel, being about three -feet high at the shoulders. It keeps its head raised like a deer and -is a gentle and docile animal, though it has a habit that is not much -liked by those that make it angry. This is to squirt a mouthful of its -yellow spittle into their faces. This has an unpleasant odor and this -nasty habit makes drivers careful not to overwork the animals.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_112"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_112.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Llama Train Descending the Mountains of Peru</p> - </div> - -<p>The Llama is a sure-footed creature, knows how to find food for itself, -and can carry a weight of a hundred pounds about twelve miles a day. -This makes it very useful for the miners of the Andes, who use it to -carry their ore down the rough and steep mountain paths. When the -animals are tired they will lie down, and the only way to make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> them -get up is to take off their loads. That is another way they have to -make their drivers treat them kindly.</p> - -<p>The Alpaca is a smaller animal than the Llama and is not used to carry -goods, but for all that it has its uses and is kept in large flocks on -the high levels of the Andes. Its value lies in its wool. While the -hair of the Llama is coarse and of little use, the Alpaca is covered -with a long, fine wool, of a silky lustre, which if left uncut will -grow to twenty, and even to thirty inches in length. If cut every year -it grows to be about six or eight inches in length. Its color is often -a yellowish-brown, but is sometimes gray or black.</p> - -<p>For very many years the Indians have made their blankets and cloaks of -alpaca wool, and for more than fifty years it has been used in Europe -and America to make shawls, coat-linings, umbrella-covers and other -goods. The wild species have also a very delicate and soft wool, of -high value in weaving, but it is not nearly so long as that of the -alpaca.</p> - - -<h3>THE ARCTIC BEAST OF BURDEN</h3> - -<p>A fact many of you may know is that nearly all the animals kept by man -for work or for food are those with hoofed feet. Among other animals -that he puts to work may be named the dog, and this is not used much as -a worker. A little has been said in former pages about working dogs,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -but the only region in which the dog is kept only for work is in the -Arctic zone. The dog is the working animal of the Eskimo and the only -one. Therefore in speaking of animals that work for man we must not -forget the Eskimo dog.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_114"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_114.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of The Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Dog Train Hauling Provision in Northern Canada</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">These big, strong, savage, thick-coated dogs of the realm of ice, are -so much like the wolf that if let loose they would soon begin to make -their living in the wolf's way. Their owners do not think of making -pets or hunters of them. They simply feed and drive them and keep them -in order with the whip. What the Eskimo dog dearly loves is a fight, -and they snarl and snap at one another as savagely as any wolf could -do. Only the sharp use of the whip can keep them from fighting.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p> - -<p>The Eskimos could not live in their cold country without the aid of -these hardy animals. No other creatures could be found so well suited -to their needs. With their thick and warm coat of hair these dogs can -bear the greatest cold, and at night all they need for bed or shelter -is a snow-bank into which they can dig and bury themselves. Here they -sleep as cosily as if they were in a bed of feathers.</p> - -<p>They will eat any kind of meat or fish, and can drag a sledge with -great speed and for hours at a time over the ice. Thus it may be seen -that the Eskimos and Indians of the north have a useful servant in the -dog. They hitch it to their sledges, the number of dogs varying with -the load to be drawn. No reins are needed. There is a leader to the -team trained to follow a trail and to obey its master's orders. The -driver also carries a long, stinging whip with which he is very expert -and can reach any dog in the team. If they get into a fight, as they -are apt to do even when drawing a sledge, the whip is used to bring -them back to their work.</p> - -<p>What would travellers in the sea of ice or seekers for the North Pole -have done without the dog? It has drawn them and their food in all -their journeys over the ice and the Eskimo dog is the only animal -besides man that ever reached the Pole. Without its aid Peary, the -great explorer, would never have got to the North Pole or got back -again to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> his ship. Is it not well to speak, then, about how the dog -helped him in this famous discovery?</p> - -<p>When Peary took his ship, the Roosevelt, far to the north, he had on -board more than two hundred dogs and plenty of walrus meat to feed -them. When he went north over the ice these dogs were used to draw the -sledges loaded with food and other supplies. The explorers had to walk; -no dogs could be spared to draw them.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_116"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_116.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Alaskan Dog Team. The Winter Mail-Carriers</p> - </div> - -<p>On his last dash to the north, from 87° 57´ north latitude to 90° (a -distance of about 140 miles), he had five sledges and forty dogs. The -sledges were the pick of twenty-five that had started from the ship and -the dogs were the best of all his teams. Also for drivers he had his -four best Eskimos. With these sledges and men and dogs he got to the -North Pole, which no one had ever reached before, and the faithful dogs -shared the glory of the discovery. They came back with him—some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> of -them, for some died on the way. The poor brutes did not know what they -had done, and no doubt thought a good meal of walrus meat better than a -dozen Poles, either North or South.</p> - -<p>Now shall we say something about the South Pole? Dogs have been used -there too, but when Lieutenant Shackleton, the English explorer, made -his famous journey in that region in 1909, he took with him four of the -hardy ponies of the North, thinking they would be better than dogs. -But his ponies died, one by one, and he and his men had to drag their -sledges back by hand, eating the frozen pony meat as they toiled along -over mountains of ice. Later explorers have taken dogs with them as -better fitted for the work than the best ponies.</p> - - -<h3>THE ELEPHANT IN MAN'S SERVICE</h3> - -<p>I do not need to tell you what the Elephant is like. Almost everybody -has seen this noble creature, the largest of all animals except the -whale. It belongs in its way to the hoofed animals, though it has five -toes on each foot. For these are covered by a sort of elastic hoof, -something like that of the camel, which gives it an easy, springy -step. Though its home is in Asia and Africa, it has often been brought -to America and shown in menageries and other places. It is a great, -clumsy-looking brute, with a long, flexible trunk, ivory tusks, great -flapping ears, stout legs and broad hoofs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> The tusks, you know, are -great overgrown teeth made of hard ivory.</p> - -<p>It does not look like an animal that could think, but few of the -animals below man have done so many wise and smart things. Only the dog -and the monkey are its equals. I shall speak of its thinking powers -further on, but here I wish to deal with the elephant as a worker for -man.</p> - -<p>The wild elephant loves its freedom and fights hard against those who -seek to capture it, but when taken and tamed is often very mild and -gentle. In India large parties of men, four hundred or more in number, -are sent out to drive the wild elephants into great, strong pens that -have been built of heavy timbers. Here tame elephants are used to hold -the wild ones while they are being tied fast. By these and other means -many of them are made captives and they soon become man's willing -friends and helpers.</p> - -<p>The elephant is made use of in various ways. In ancient times it was -often used in war. Troops of elephants were made to rush on the ranks -of enemies and kill them with trunk and hoofs. In this way even the -Roman armies were put to flight, they being scared when they first saw -these huge, strange animals. But they soon learned how to frighten them -with torches and drive them back upon their friends.</p> - -<p>The elephant has long been used in India as a working animal, and for -this its great strength<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> makes it of much use. It can lift and move -heavy loads and a common elephant can carry half a ton for a long -distance. But they need much care and cost a good deal to keep, for it -takes about 800 pounds of fodder a day to feed a large one.</p> - -<p>When at work they show very good sense and know well how to do things. -You would think so if you could see them at work in piling or moving -timber. I fancy you would laugh to see how nicely and neatly they do it -and what good sense they show.</p> - -<p>The female elephants have no large tusks, so that they can use only -their trunks in moving the logs, but the male animals use their great -tusks as well as the trunk. They will push logs weighing a ton and a -half with ease. If the log has to go into the river they will push and -roll it along to the bank, and as it slides down the muddy bank to the -water will give it a slap with the trunk, as if to say, "Good-bye, old -fellow; there you go."</p> - -<p>If the log to be moved happens to be jammed among the others, the wise -animal soon sets it right. He will begin by getting his tusks under -it and lifting it to the proper height. If the log is a heavy one, he -will sink down on his knees so as to get a better lift upon it. It is -a lesson in elephant wit to see him stack timbers. He will lift one -end of the log nine or ten feet, and put it on top of the pile. Then -he will go to the other end and push this forward until the log lies -straight.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> - -<p>The driver helps him in this by words and signs, all of which he knows -as well as a sheep dog knows the words of the shepherd. The best -trained animals are put to work in the saw mills, where they move about -with much care among the saws and other machines. One man who saw an -elephant laying planks and slats to be sawed, said in a newspaper -that he saw the animal shut one eye while it squinted along the bench -with the other to make sure the timber was laid straight. Perhaps the -reporter had both eyes shut when he saw this.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_120"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_120.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Elephant Piling Lumber. Observe How the Log is Grasped -between the Trunk and the Tusks</p> - </div> - -<p>It must be said that elephants are in some ways<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> like men and boys. -There are willing ones and lazy ones; some that like to work and some -that hate work. You will see the willing ones drag along a log that -weighs two tons without a groan. The lazy ones may be as strong as the -willing ones, but they will make a dreadful fuss over a log not half as -heavy. They are like boys, too, in the fact that some of them have good -tempers while others are cross and surly.</p> - -<p>There is one thing more to be said about the elephant. It knows how -heavy it is and does not like to go over a weak place. Thus it will -not walk over a bridge until it has tried it to learn if it is strong -enough, and it will not go into a boat without doing the same. You may -see that it has sense enough to take care of itself.</p> - -<p>Here is the story of an elephant that had every day to go over a small -bridge. "He one day refused to go over it, and it was only by goring -him most cruelly with the <i>hunkoss</i> (a sharp iron goad) that the driver -could get him to venture on the bridge, the strength of which he had -first tried with his trunk. At last he went on, but before he could get -over the bridge gave way and they fell into the ditch, which killed the -driver and greatly injured the elephant." It is very likely that the -wise animal had found it to be weak when he last crossed it and knew it -was not safe.</p> - -<p>I must tell you the story of some elephants that were with a body of -troops in the mountain region<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> of India. In their march they came to a -steep place where the men laid a stairway of logs for the elephants to -climb up. The first elephant came to it, took a good look, shook his -head, and backed off. When the driver tried to force him to climb he -would not move, but roared like a scared boy. Only when some change was -made in the stairs could he be got to set foot on them, and he climbed -up with great care, trying every step as he went.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_122"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_122.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">A Military Elephant on Duty, India</p> - </div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> - -<p class="p2">When he was part way up he came to a tree which he tried with his trunk -and did not like. It seemed too weak. Again he stopped. The driver -tried to get him to go on with such words as "My life," "Well done, my -dear," "My son," and other kind words of which elephants are very fond, -but he would not be got to move. Then force was tried. The elephant -roared terribly but would not stir.</p> - -<p>At length some other change was made in the logs. This the wise -creature tried and then went on until he reached the top. When he got -there he showed the greatest delight, caressing the keeper with his -trunk and throwing dirt about in the most playful manner.</p> - -<p>The elephant that followed was a much younger one. It had watched its -comrade go up with great interest, making movements with its head and -trunk as if it was helping him. When he reached the top it gave a -salute like the sound of a trumpet. But when it was called on to take -its turn it was greatly scared and had to be forced to mount the slope. -When it got near the top the older animal reached down his trunk and -twined it around that of the younger and thus helped him to the summit.</p> - -<p>Then the two animals greeted each other in the most friendly manner, as -if they were old friends just met. They embraced each other with their -trunks and stood for many minutes face to face as if they were talking -over what they had done.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> All this goes to show that the elephant has a -good deal of human nature in his huge carcass, and along with it a good -deal of sound sense.</p> - - -<h3>ANECDOTES OF THE ELEPHANT</h3> - -<p>The stories just told show that the great beast we are talking about -has a keen idea of danger, often a better one than his drivers, and -is more careful than a good many men we have seen. We give them as -examples of the wit and wisdom of this sensible animal. If we look for -stories of this kind among the other working animals, such as the ox, -the buffalo, and the camel, we find little show of powers of thought, -but of the elephant as a thinker there are very many interesting -anecdotes. Some of these you may like to read.</p> - -<p>The story has often been told that the elephant, when he wants to get -something a little out of reach, will blow on the ground or a wall -beyond, so as to drive it inward by the wind of his breath. Here is the -story of an elephant in which the cunning fellow took a different way -of doing this.</p> - -<p>"I was one day feeding an elephant with potatoes, which he took out of -my hand. One of them, a round one, fell on the floor, just out of reach -of his trunk. After trying in vain to reach it, he at length blew the -potato against the opposite wall with such force as to make it rebound, -and he then without difficulty secured it." That is much like what a -boy does in playing hand ball.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> - -<p>The elephant has a good memory and also a fine sense of justice. It is -not a safe animal to play tricks upon, for it does not forget the man -who did this and will wait long for a chance to get even with him. Here -is an instance told by a Captain Shipp, who wished to learn for himself -if the elephant would bear in mind an injury and try to repay it.</p> - -<p>One day he gave an elephant a sandwich of bread, butter and cayenne -pepper. After he had waited for six months he visited the animal to see -how it would act and began to fondle it as he had been used to do. The -great beast showed no signs of anger and the captain thought that it -must have forgotten him and his pepper sandwich. But suddenly, while -he was not looking, the elephant filled his trunk with dirty water and -drenched the captain from head to foot.</p> - -<p>You may see from this that elephants have very good memories.</p> - -<p>One gentleman tells of visiting some elephants in London, and moving -out of reach with his cane a part of the hay one of them was feeding -on. The great beast showed much anger at this act. "Look out for him," -said the keeper; "he will never forget it." The joker forgot it, for -some weeks later he visited the same place and came within reach of the -animal's trunk. Instantly it made a savage blow at him, that would have -cracked his skull and killed him on the spot if he had not jumped back.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span></p> - -<p>In fact, many instances might be given where elephants have killed -those who had injured them. Numbers of such tales could be told. Here -is a story that teaches more than one lesson of elephant nature.</p> - -<p>An English gentleman, Mr. G. L. Layard, was visiting Ceylon and there -saw a troop of working elephants coming up the road in the evening. -Mrs. Layard asked if she might go down from the bungalow and see them -nearer at hand. "Certainly," said Mr. Birch, the gentleman who had them -in charge.</p> - -<p>He took a bunch of bananas from the lunch table and led the way to a -fine female elephant, who was swinging her trunk about and looking at -them. He gave the fruit to the lady and said:—</p> - -<p>"You may give them to her, Mrs. Layard; she is a nice, quiet beast."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Layard held them out to the elephant, who took them gently, put -them in her mouth and swallowed them, and then fondled the giver with -her trunk. After patting and talking to her for some time they walked -back to the house, where something was said in praise of the animal.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Mr. Birch, "she is a noble beast, and very intelligent. She -has killed two of her keepers within the last month."</p> - -<p>The lady grew pale as death on hearing this, and Layard turned on the -speaker in a rage.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - -<p>"And you let my wife put herself in that creature's power!" he cried. -"What do you mean by that?"</p> - -<p>"Oh," said Birch quietly, "do you think I would have let Mrs. Layard -go near her if there had been any danger! She is the quietest and best -tempered beast in the stud. She was quite right to kill her keepers. -They had robbed her of her food."</p> - -<p>You may see from this that there is a code of right and wrong among -elephants. Kind treatment they meet with kindness and ill treatment -with revenge, and while they have a sense of justice they also have a -sense of humor, and can give trick for trick. You can at times see them -fairly laughing at some trick they have played.</p> - -<p>While an elephant was being shown at Dublin, doing a number of things -he had been taught, a little boy, full of mischief but not of sense, -was doing everything he could to annoy the great beast. The elephant -gave no sign of taking notice, but it saw all that was passing, and -when the boy came near enough thrust out its trunk and snatched his hat -from his head. Then it turned half round, snorted loudly, and acted its -part so well that all who were there thought it had swallowed the hat.</p> - -<p>The imp of mischief stood scratching his head and looking very blank, -while the great animal appeared as if he enjoyed the joke highly. By<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -the twinkle in his eyes he seemed to be laughing inwardly. In the end -he drew the missing cap from his mouth and flung it into the boy's face -with such an air of fun-making that all present broke into a loud roar -of laughter.</p> - -<p>One would not think of such a huge brute playing tricks, but the -elephant is fond of a joke and seems to enjoy it as much as one of us -would. Elephants will raise latches, open doors, and show a fondness -for mischief in other ways. They will also steal and hide their theft -if the chance offers. An American showman saw one of them pull up the -stake to which he was chained, go to an oat-bin, wrench off the lock, -raise the lid, and eat all he wanted. Then he put down the lid again, -went back to his place, poked the stake into the same hole, and stamped -it down with his foot.</p> - -<p>When his keeper came the cunning brute looked as innocent as a lamb. -The keeper raged and stormed on finding that he had been robbed, while -the big thief stood quietly by, with an odd twinkle in its little eyes.</p> - -<p>Here is another story of the same kind. "An elephant in India was -chained to a tree, and his driver made an oven at a short distance in -which he put his rice-cakes to bake, and then covered them with stones -and grass and went away. When he was gone the elephant unfastened with -his trunk the chain round his foot, went to the oven and uncovered it, -took out and ate the cakes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> re-covered the oven with the grass and -stones as before, and went back to his place.</p> - -<p>"He could not fasten the chain again round his own foot, so he twisted -it round and round it in order to look the same, and when the driver -returned the elephant was standing with his back to the oven. The -driver went to his cakes, discovered the theft, and, looking round, -caught the elephant's eye as he looked back over his shoulder out of -the corner of it. Instantly he detected the culprit and punishment -followed. The whole affair was seen from the windows by the family."</p> - -<p>No other animal has a weapon that can compare with the trunk of the -elephant. With this long and flexible nose he can tear off great limbs -from trees, and with the same trunk can be taught to pick up a pin. But -great and strong as he is, the elephant is very nervous. He is ready -to fight a tiger, yet mosquitoes disturb him very much and we are told -that he is as much afraid of a mouse as any nervous girl, and will -trumpet with terror if one comes near him.</p> - -<p>Elephants like bright colors and sweet perfumes, they are very dainty -in their tastes, and are as fond of bathing as any one of us could -be. They dearly love to revel in the water, and an elephant bath is -something worth seeing. It is wonderful what tricks they can be taught -and how neatly they will go through with them.</p> - -<p>In circuses and menageries the tricks of trained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> elephants are things -people like to see. Most of us have seen how these animals, clumsy as -they look, can balance themselves on tubs, stand on their hind legs -like a poodle, with their fore-feet in the air, and do many other -tricks, such as standing on their heads, with their hind feet raised.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_130"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_130.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">A State Elephant of India with Howdah</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">Baby-elephants also can be taught to play many tricks, such as to sit -at table, use the fan, and the like. We are told of two of them named<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -Jock and Jenny, that would come in, bow to the audience, mount on a -plank, and see-saw like a couple of children. One of them would then -walk on the tops of a double row of bottles. They would also play on an -organ and drum, dance to the sound of bells, and do other clever tricks.</p> - -<p>If we seek elephant stories of another kind there are a number of -cases in which the animals have been hurt and borne surgical treatment -with great patience. There is a case where one went blind through some -disease in its eyes. Nitrate of silver was applied to one eye and -caused so great a pain that the animal roared wildly. But the treatment -did the eyes so much good that when the doctor came the next day to -try it on the other eye, the animal lay down, placed his head quietly -to one side, and drew in his breath as we would do when expecting to -be hurt. When it was over he gave a sigh of relief, and showed how -grateful he was by movements of his trunk.</p> - -<p>This is one out of various tales of this kind that could be told. The -elephant here learned by the good done to one eye that he was going to -be helped with the other, and made up his mind to bear the pain for the -good it would bring him.</p> - -<p>Not many animals can learn things without being taught, but the -elephant can. One thing a tamed elephant is taught to do is to pick up -things from the ground and hand them to the driver on his shoulders. At -first he is made to pick up only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> soft articles, for he is apt to throw -them up with force and might hurt the man above.</p> - -<p>After a time the animal gets to notice the difference between soft -things and hard things. A bundle of clothes may still be thrown up with -force, but a hard and heavy thing, such as a piece of iron chain, will -be handed up gently. The wise creature learns in time to pick up a -sharp knife by its handle and lay it on his head so that the driver can -also take it up by the handle, and when made to pick up things it has -never seen before it shows that it knows how to deal with them.</p> - -<p>We might go on and give many other examples of the mental powers of the -elephant, but enough have been given to show that this great creature -is one of the most sensible of all beasts and is as quick at learning -the best way to do things as any others of the animal tribe. And it can -think out things for itself, which shows finer thought than to have -them taught it by others.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_133 " > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_133.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">IV<br /> - -ANIMALS USED FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING</h2> - - -<p>When we think of the many things man does with the animals he has -tamed, the first that comes into our minds is their use in hunting and -as house guards and pets. But we must not forget how useful they are as -workers, in the fields and in the roads, in war and in peace. For long -ages they were the only helpers that men had in work and travel. Only -within our own times have we found out how to put the forces of nature -at work for us and how much stronger those are than any animals. The -animals kept by us have one value for which the forces of nature can -never serve. That is their value for food. While we can use the power -of the winds and of coal and iron in doing work, we cannot feed upon -these or anything of this kind. To live we must have food, and this -we can get only from the world of plants and animals. We also use the -skins and furs of animals for clothing, and weave warm cloths out of -their wool and hair. These are the things I now propose to talk about.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> - - -<h3>THE CATTLE OF THE FIELD</h3> - -<p>Is there anything that adds more to the beauty of a scene in the -country than the grazing cows that give life to the fields, now -cropping the grass, now resting under the shade of the trees, now -wading in cool streams, now lying in midday rest? They are so mild and -gentle, and look at us so quietly out of their big, kindly eyes that we -cannot help keeping a soft spot for them in our hearts.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_134"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_134.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Making Friends with a Guernsey Calf</p> - </div> - -<p>They wear horns, but they do not use them, and we can walk through a -herd of these large animals as safely as through a grove of trees; that -is, if they are all cows, if there is not a bull among them. The bull, -the male form of the cattle tribe,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> is a creature we must watch. If he -happens to be cross and bad-tempered, as is often the case, he is not -safe to trust. It is certainly not wise to wear a red coat or hat in -a field where a bull is kept, for he seems to look on this color as a -challenge to battle. To have to run from a bull is no fun, at least not -if he gets close enough to help you over a fence with his horns.</p> - -<p>But we seldom see a savage cow. These are quiet, dull animals, that -have no thought of anything but to crop the grass and flick off the -flies from their skin with their waving tails. They do not have to take -care of themselves. Their masters and mistresses take care of them, so -they have nothing to do or think of but to grow fat and yield milk.</p> - -<p>There are wild cattle in various parts of the earth, and these have to -take care of themselves, but the cattle of our fields have been kept -tame so long that it is hard to tell from what wild species they came. -We know that they were kept by the people of Egypt and China thousands -of years ago, and that the Egyptians had certain bulls which they -worshiped as gods. The bull and the cow are sacred animals in India and -are never killed for food by the Hindu people.</p> - -<p>In modern times the cow has been kept chiefly for the milk she gives. -She is also kept as a food animal, but is not made to work, like the -bull and the ox. The animal that is killed for food is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> large, -well-fed beast, with straight back and well developed body. As for the -bull, its savage nature is made use of in the bull-fights of Spain and -it is also used in the "bull-races" of the South of France.</p> - -<p>Cows, as well as bulls and oxen, have two horns on their head. In some -breeds these are very long and powerful, but there are others that have -no horns and in fighting use their heads to butt with. In this way they -can give a powerful blow. With his head, his horns and his hoofs an -angry bull is an animal that it is best to keep away from.</p> - -<p>Cattle are of many colors and it is this which gives beauty to many of -them. Among them we find such colors as black, white, yellow, brown, -fawn, reddish brown, black-spotted and other hues, this variety of -colors giving new beauty to a herd of grazing cows. It is a pretty -sight to see them strolling up the leafy lane in the evening to the -milking shed, with a boy and a dog to keep them moving.</p> - - -<h3>MILK-GIVING COWS</h3> - -<p>There are a number of animals from which men get milk, but chief of -all these is the cow. Those are breeds of cows which are kept only for -milk-giving and which have been brought to yield so much and such rich -milk as to make them of great value. In all history we read of the -milkmaid, the girl whose duty it is to milk the cows, one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> the chief -duties on a farm. Nowadays we do not hear so much about the milkmaid. -She has for the most part gone out of business.</p> - -<p>No doubt, many of my young friends have seen how milking is done, the -cow with its full udders, the white stream of milk which flows from -the teats when pressed, and the large quantity of this rich fluid -which some cows will give. Perhaps some of you may have tried the art -yourselves, but it is an art that needs to be learned, and many cows -will not yield their milk to awkward fingers. Some of them, indeed, -when they do not like the milker, will kick over the full bucket and -now and then the milker with it.</p> - -<p>In some way the cow turns part of the grass she eats into this rich -fluid, so useful to mankind, not only as a drink, but for the butter -and cheese it yields. Nature provides milk to all animals of the class -known as mammals as food for their young, but by long usage the cow -has been brought to give milk at all times and thus helps to feed her -keepers as well as her calves.</p> - -<p>I hardly need tell you that milk is a white fluid in which float small -globes of fat. This fat is the butter of which we make so much use. -If the milk is let stand, the butter floats to the top and is skimmed -off in a rich fluid we call cream. By various modes of churning the -butter is got out of the cream, leaving a thin liquid behind called -buttermilk.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span></p> - -<p>Butter is not the only thing got from milk. Cheese is another product -of much use. It is made from the solid parts of the milk. When an -acid, or a substance called rennet, which is obtained from the calf's -stomach, is put into the milk, the solids come together in a soft, -white jelly, leaving a greenish, watery liquid called whey. It is from -this jelly, or curd, that cheese is made by pressing out the whey and -leaving a hard, solid mass. There are many ways of making cheese and -many different kinds of cheese, often so unlike that we can scarcely -think they came from the same source.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_138"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_138.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm"></p> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Back to the Pasture After the Milking</p> - </div> - -<p>Now let me say something about the various breeds of milk-giving or -dairy cows. They differ very much. Some give a great deal of milk; some -much less. There are cows that have given as much as twenty-four quarts -of milk a day. Think of six gallons from one cow in one day, enough to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -fill a vessel of large size! Others may give only ten quarts or even -less.</p> - -<p>But the cow that gives the most milk does not always give the best, -for there is great difference in the richness of milk. Thus the best -butter makers may not be those that fill the fullest pail. The quantity -of milk depends on the food eaten, the kind and plenty of grass in the -fields or hay in the stables. But the amount of butter in it seems to -come from something in the animal herself.</p> - -<p>You have often heard, and perhaps often seen, the different breeds of -dairy cows, the Jerseys and others. There are many of these breeds. -The Dutch cattle, those that come from Holland, are mostly good milk-givers, -also those of Holstein and Friesland yield a very full pail, -and there are splendid milk-givers elsewhere.</p> - -<p>All of us must have seen the beautiful cows from the Channel Islands, -near the coast of France, known as Jerseys and Guernseys, often called -Alderneys, now so common in our fields and which give such rich milk, -from which splendid butter is made. We may also speak of the Ayrshire -cow of Scotland, which is of high value to the cheese-maker. All these -and other cows have been brought in numbers to this country, which has -no good breeds of its own.</p> - -<p>Did any of my readers ever try to churn cream into butter? Those who -have done so did not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> find it very easy work. To lift a long rod up and -down or turn a handle till your arms feel ready to drop off is never -the best of fun. In past times all butter-making had to be done in this -way, with some sort of churn, but now in large dairies a small engine -is used to do the work. In our days great part of the butter is made in -creameries to which the farmers take their milk. Here the cream from -600 or 800 cows may be dealt with by one skilful butter-maker, who -handles it with great care, so that we get a better quality of butter -than was of old made on most of the farms.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_140"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_140.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">From Davis's Practical Farming</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Holstein Cow, a Great Milk Giver</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">This way of getting the butter from the cream<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> was started in the -United States, where now there are thousands of creameries in the many -states. From this country it has spread to many parts of Europe, but -there most of the butter is still made on the farm. Cheese is also made -in the same wholesale way and American cheese is sold in many parts of -the world.</p> - -<p>We use here so much milk and butter that it is not easy for us to see -how people anywhere can do without it. Yet there are parts of the world -where cow's milk is not used. Thus if one should go to China he would -find the people making no use of the milk of their cows. And in India -the milk of the buffalo is liked better than that of the cow. Even in -parts of Europe little use is made of milk and butter. This is the -case in Italy, where olive oil takes the place of butter. But almost -everywhere, except in India, much use is made of cattle for food, and -of this something must now be said.</p> - - -<h3>BEEF-MAKING CATTLE</h3> - -<p>In the United States the raising of cattle for meat is a great -business. For years past this country has fed its own people and helped -to feed those of Europe. The meat of cattle killed in Chicago and other -cities is sold in the markets of London and other parts of England and -the people of that country have long been growing fat on American beef. -This is not so much the case in Germany, France, and Russia, for great -num<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span>bers of cattle are raised there, but at times we could find the -beef of our country on the tables of most of these lands.</p> - -<p>When the white man went to America he found no cattle there. But it was -not long before there were plenty of them, brought from Spain, France, -England and other countries. These spread all over the continent until -there were cattle everywhere. But these were not the best of cattle. -There were no fine breeds raised here as in Europe.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_142"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_142.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Ox Team and Native Cart, with Wooden Wheels, Nicaragua</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">This is the reason why so many Jersey, Ayrshire, Dutch and other fine -milk-givers have been brought here from Europe. Meat-making cattle have -also been brought, those known as Shorthorns, Herefords, and others, -and now we can find in our fields great numbers of fine, fat animals, -which are taking the place of the old poor stock.</p> - -<p>Good beef cattle are large and square in shape, full and broad over the -back, with thick legs,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> short necks, and well rounded bodies. The eye -is bright, the face short, the skin soft, the flesh mellow and rich.</p> - -<p>Cattle of this kind are to be seen now in numbers in our fields. But -the great cattle-raising sections of this country are the broad grassy -plains of the West and the vast fields of Texas. Here may be seen the -great ranges, where for long years past cattle have been kept by the -millions, roaming about, feeding on the rich grass, and growing fat and -juicy.</p> - -<p>Here also is the home of the cowboy, the man who lives on the horse and -rides as if horse and man were one animal. His duty it is to ride among -the great herds, keep them in order, stop them when they run away in -mad fright, and live among them as the sheep-dog lives among the sheep. -Brave fellows and splendid riders are these cowboys, among the best in -the world.</p> - -<p>If you should go west to-day you would not find the open cattle range -of the past. The cattle-owners have found it best to fence in their -ground, and wire fences may now be seen all over that once open -country. But the fields thus made are very large and the cowboy still -finds plenty to keep him busy.</p> - -<p>If we seek other parts of the world we shall find cattle-ranges like -those of the United States. In South America there are two great -regions of this kind. One of these is in Venezuela. Here are great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -open plains called llanos, covered with rich, thick grass on which -millions of cattle feed. The same is the case with the pampas of -Argentina, vast prairies over which cattle roam in countless numbers.</p> - -<p>On those great plains dwell the brothers of the cowboy, daring riders -whose lives are spent in the care of the grazing herds. The Gauchos, as -the cattlemen of Argentina are called, are not the sons of civilized -fathers like our cowboys. They are a race by themselves, bold and -hardy, but ignorant, many of them part Indian. But they are born and -bred to the saddle and no riders can surpass them in handling their -swift horses.</p> - -<p>Of the other countries where great herds of cattle are to be found we -may name South Africa and Russia. Mongolia, in the Asiatic part of -Russia, is a land of vast plains, called steppes. This may have been -the first region in which cattle were kept. As far back as history -goes the herdsmen of this great region have been roaming about with -their cattle, horses and other animals, living in tents, and moving -from place to place seeking new fields of grass when the old ones are -cropped. This was their life thousands of years ago and this is their -life to-day, and they seem no more civilized now than they were then.</p> - -<p>We do not care to talk about the killing of these fat herds. That has -nothing to do with Home-Life, except in so far as we find their meat -on our tables, for the killing is mostly done in great sheds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> and pens -built for that purpose. It will be enough to say that the animals we -have been talking about are of the greatest use to man. They work for -him, they feed him with their milk and flesh, and after their death -nearly every part of them is of use. From their skins leather is made -and we walk upon their hides in our shoes. From the bones glue and -gelatine are obtained, and when the bones are ground they are used to -fertilize our fields. In fact use is made of nearly all parts of the -animal and hardly a scrap of it goes to waste.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_145"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_145.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">An Ox-team on a Florida Plantation</p> - </div> - - -<h3>IN THE BULL RING</h3> - -<p>The bull is not a nice animal to deal with. It is often surly and -savage, and few of us care to be in the same field with it. In some -parts of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> world its courage is made use of in a brutal kind of -sport. In former times what was called bull-baiting was very common in -England, and might be to-day only for the laws. A bull was driven into -a closed-in place and dogs were sent in to fight with him. Sometimes, -to make him furious, pepper was blown into his nose before he was set -free.</p> - -<p>At times a dozen or more dogs were sent in at once. At other times the -bull was tied to a stake by a rope of some length, and bulldogs were -set upon him, one at a time. They were trained to seize the fierce -animal by the nose, which was called "pinning the bull." But the -best fun to the lookers-on was when the bull lowered his head to the -ground, caught a dog on his horns and tossed him a long distance away. -Bull-baiting was kept up until 1835, when laws were passed to stop this -cruel sport.</p> - -<p>But bull-fighting, which has long been very common in Spain, is still -kept up in that country. In ancient times fights between bulls and men -were common in Greece and Rome, but in modern times they have been held -only in Spain and its colonies. They may be seen to-day in the cities -of Spain and Mexico.</p> - -<p>As we have a baseball season in this country so they have a bull-fight -season in Spain. In the city of Madrid it lasts from April to November, -there being at least one fight every week. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> fights are held in a -kind of circus, with seats for 10,000 or 15,000 people, who have to pay -well to see the brutal game.</p> - -<p>There are three classes of men who take part in a bull-fight. The first -of these are the "picadores." These fight on horseback, each of them -with a lance. If the bull is a coward they crowd upon and kill it. If -it is brave they often have to fight for their own lives. The bull -may lift the poor horse on its horns or may throw the rider, who is -sometimes killed.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_147"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_147.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Carting Manila Hemp. Philippine Islands</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">When the picadore is in danger the second class, the "chulos," run in. -They wear bright-colored<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> cloaks and gay ribbons and draw the bull -after them by waving their bright cloaks in his face. When the bull -shows signs of being tired these men throw darts at him which stick -into his neck. Some of these bear fire-crackers, the noise of which -makes the bull furious.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_148"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_148.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Moose in Harness. This is a Rare Use of this Great Deer-like Animal</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">Now the third man comes in, the "matadore." He is on foot and carries -a sword, and in his left hand is a short stick with a piece of red -silk tied to it. When the angry bull sees this red stick he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> rushes -at it, for he hates anything red. Now the matadore has his chance. -With one quick stroke he thrusts the sword into the animal between the -shoulder-blade and the spine, driving it in to the hilt, and the poor -bull falls dead.</p> - -<p>Then a team of mules, gay with flags and bells, enter and drag out the -dead bull, another is driven in, and the fight begins again. The horses -and bulls are the chief sufferers, it being said that about 2500 bulls -and 3500 horses are killed every year in the bull-fights of Spain. -The horses used are poor creatures, only fit to end their lives in a -bull-fight.</p> - -<p>The people cheer the matadore for his victory; but they are quite as -ready to cheer the bull that has killed his man. But it is a rare -thing for a man to be killed in the fight, usually it is only the poor -animals that suffer. The other nations of Europe and the people of this -country do not like bull-fights. They look on them as cruel and unfit -for civilized times. But the people of Spain love them and will not -give them up.</p> - - -<h3>THE WOOL-CLAD SHEEP</h3> - -<p>Long, long ago, hundreds of years before men began to write history, -perhaps before they had tamed any other animal, the woolly creature -called the sheep began to share the home-life of man. In the first -pages of the Bible we find its name. Abel, the second son of Adam and -Eve, was a keeper<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> of sheep before he was killed by his brother Cain. -It may have been kept in very early times in all parts of the earth, -for the sheep can live in all climates, from hot to cold, and its meat -and wool are of great use for food and clothing.</p> - -<p>Also it is easily tamed, and in the ages of the past it became so used -to being taken care of that it has long forgotten how to take care of -itself. Thus the sheep that crop the grass in our fields have come to -be stupid animals. But this is not the case with the wild sheep which -are found in various parts of the earth. These are quite able to fight -their own battles and are sharp-witted, like most wild animals.</p> - -<p>It is only the female sheep, the ewe, that is so dull. We all know that -the male sheep, the ram, is much more wide-awake. These often have very -large horns, and the wild ram knows quite well how to take care of -himself and his family. They will run from danger if they have to, but -if cornered can make a very good fight. Even one of our field rams has -at times shown itself a good match for a bull. While much smaller in -size, it is far more active and can hit a very hard blow with its bony -head and big horns.</p> - -<p>Have you ever seen a fighting ram? One of them has been known to throw -a bull to the ground at the first rush. It can fight dogs, too, and -is always ready to defend itself and its flock. Rams also fight one -another, and when two of them come<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> together at full run, their heads -crack like the sound of a musket and their hind parts are lifted -into the air. Many sheep have no horns, and these are not so fond of -fighting, as the horns are a great help to them.</p> - -<p>Men keep sheep for two things, their wool and their meat. The same is -the case with cattle, which are also kept for two things, their milk -and their meat. All over the earth people are fond of mutton, or the -meat of the sheep, while the wool is used wherever warm clothes are -needed. In some cold countries the skin of the sheep, with its woolly -coat, is used as a cloak and is found a warm covering.</p> - -<p>The wool of wild sheep is short and lies below an outside coat of long, -straight hair. But this hair is lost in the tame animals and a coat -of long, thick wool takes its place. Wool, you should know, differs -from hair in having a scaly surface, which causes its fibres to cling -together. This makes it good for twisting into yarn and weaving into -cloth, also for felting, as in the making of felt hats and rugs.</p> - -<p>Of course very many of you have seen the sheep in the field, walking -slowly about all day long, cropping, cropping, cropping, as if eating -were all it lived for. This is the case all over the earth, for sheep -are the most common of our farm animals and are kept in vast multitudes -in various countries. So tame and gentle are they that the shep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span>herd -and his dog can easily keep a large flock in order. He has to guard -them in some countries against wolves and also against sheep-killing -dogs.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_152"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_152.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Cattle and Sheep of the Scottish Highlands</p> - </div> - -<p>The sheep is a mountain animal, not a native of the level plains like -the horse and the ox. The wild sheep do not live on level ground but -among the lofty hills and are often found in very high places. We have -one species in our own country, the Big-horn or Rocky Mountain Sheep, -which can climb over the roughest cliffs and plunge down steep places -without hurting itself. There are other species in Asia and Africa, -with the same habits.</p> - -<p>From this we know why tame sheep are so fond of hill climbing and why -they do so well in such rough regions as the Highlands of Scotland. -Young lambs are very fond of climbing every little hill they see. When -feeding, sheep like moun<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span>tain sides better than they do plains. Here -they nibble away at the short, fine grasses, which they like better -than any other food.</p> - -<p>You may have read of troubles and fights between the shepherds and -cowboys of our western plains. This comes from the close nibbling of -the sheep, which cuts the grass down to its roots and leaves no food -for the cattle. On this account the cattlemen hate the sheep-men and in -some cases kill large flocks of sheep. The sheep are said to do harm -also on the mountain sides, clipping the grass so close with their -sharp teeth that the rains carry away the soil, and leave none for the -trees to take root in.</p> - -<p>There are a number of countries in which sheep are kept in mighty -flocks. These are the United States, Europe, Argentina, Australia and -New Zealand. There are numbers of them also in Asia and Africa and here -there are several queer kinds, which would seem very strange to us. The -oddest of these is the fat-tailed sheep. The tail of this animal grows -to a very great size and has been known to weigh 70 or 80 pounds. It -is a big bunch of fat of which the people of those countries are very -fond. In some cases, to keep it from being hurt by dragging on the -ground, little wagons are used and the sheep go about dragging their -tail behind them in a sort of baby carriage.</p> - -<p>There is another kind with a huge hump of fat on its hind-quarters and -hardly any tail at all.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> On the other hand the Circassian sheep has a -tail so long that it trails behind on the grass and is covered with -fine, long wool. There is a kind of sheep in Africa with very long legs -and hanging ears, and in several places they have odd kinds of horns. -Those of the sheep of Wallachia make a complete turn and then rise up -from the head to a great length. The Iceland sheep and some of those of -Russia has three, four, and even five horns.</p> - -<p>In Europe sheep have been kept during many centuries and a number of -useful breeds are now to be found in the different countries, some with -fine, thick wool, some with rich, juicy meat. All of the sheep of this -country were brought from Europe, and many of the best breeds are kept -here, among them the Southdown of England, which is of value for its -splendid mutton.</p> - -<p>But nearly the whole of our sheep came from the Merinos of Spain, a -kind of sheep which has been kept in that country from the past ages on -account of its fine, soft wool. The Merino may now be found all over -America and Europe and also in Australia, so that it is the most common -kind of sheep on the earth. The first of them were brought to our -country in 1801 and we have now many millions of their descendants.</p> - -<p>There is much more that could be said about sheep. No meat is more -common on our tables than mutton and in all cold countries woolen -clothing is worn. In Bokhara, a country of Cen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span>tral Asia, is a sheep -which yields the valuable <i>astrakhan</i> fur. This is not taken from the -full-grown sheep, but from the lambs. When very young these bear a -short, fine wool, curled all over them in small locks. To make it curl -better they are sewn up, while very young, in another skin or a piece -of coarse linen. Long hairs soon grow through the wool and to prevent -this the lambs are killed when they are only a few days old.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_155"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_155.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Merino Ram, the Great Wool Bearer</p> - </div> - -<p>There is still another use to which sheep are put. This is the making -of cheese. There is a breed in the south of France which are milked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -and from their milk is made the famous Roquefort cheese. In making this -layers of moist bread crumbs, ground to powder, are placed between -layers of the milk curds. This mixture is pressed and salted and then -kept for a month or more in dark mountain caves. There the cheese -ripens and gets the special flavor for which it is liked.</p> - - -<h3>WOOL SHEARING AND WEAVING</h3> - -<p>Sheep are of value for various things: their meat, which so many like; -their skins, from which parchment and fine leather are made; their -bones, used in making buttons; their fat, for soap and candles; but -most of all their wool, which has long been the most valued product. So -here I must tell the story of this very useful animal fibre.</p> - -<p>Go back as far as we can in history we read of the sheep-shearing. You -may find it spoken of in the early parts of the Bible as a time of -feasting and merry-making. In many countries it is a festival time. -In past ages people seem to have cared more for the wool than for the -meat, though now sheep are kept as much for their mutton as for their -wool.</p> - -<p>In the past the custom was to pull the wool from the sheep at the -molting season. This is the time when the sheep shed their wool and -when it comes out easily. But it is at times a cruel process, as the -skin may come off with the wool. It is still done in Ireland and in -parts of Europe,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> but the common custom in these days is to cut the -wool with a sort of tool or machine. This cuts the wool in a smooth and -even manner and does not hurt the sheep. It also can be done in much -less time. When in the old way it took half an hour to shear a sheep, -in the new way it can be done in ten minutes or less.</p> - -<p>The sheep should be washed and the wool cleaned before they are sheared -and this is done in our country and in some others. But in many places -it is not done and the fleece is cut with all the grease and sweat in -it. Of course, these fleeces have to be washed by the buyers, and do -not bring so good a price.</p> - -<p>Shall I say something about the uses of wool? In all times it has been -used for making cloth for clothing, and spinning and weaving are very -old duties of the household. If wool is made damp and then pounded it -clings together so as to form a kind of felt, and in our times much -wool is used in this way to make felts for hats, carpets and shoes.</p> - -<p>Felting is a simple process, but in weaving there are many things to -be done. The wool has to be combed out, spun into yarn, and handled in -other ways before it can be woven into cloth and fitted for making into -clothes.</p> - -<p>All this business of yarn-making and weaving is now done in great -factories, fitted with machines, which rattle and roar as they swiftly -change the rough fleeces of wool into smooth sheets of cloth.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> But all -this work in former times had to be done at home, in a much slower way, -from which there came a rough, coarse cloth called homespun.</p> - -<p>This was the way in use in this country in the times of the colonies. -Many of the old spinning-wheels, by which the wool was spun into yarn, -are still kept and may be seen in museums, and some of the old looms by -which the yarn was woven into cloth are also to be seen.</p> - -<p>It was hard work for the women of the house to make the clothing of -the family in this slow way. A suit of clothes then had to be worn for -a long time, for they took too much labor in the making to be thrown -aside as quickly as they now are. It was in these homespun clothes -that our soldiers won freedom in the Revolution, and they were woven -after that date. But in time the factory came, cloth grew plentiful and -cheap, and the rattle of the old spinning-wheel was no longer heard in -the land.</p> - - -<h3>THE BEARDED GOAT</h3> - -<p>Now we come to an animal in some ways much like the sheep, but in other -ways very little like it. This is the goat, a more vigorous and hardy -animal. Unlike the sheep, it wears a beard under its chin. It is not -kept much in our country, for it is not well fitted for cold climates, -but likes best the warm airs of Southern Europe and Asia and Northern -Africa. Some of my readers may only know this animal from taking a ride -in a goat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> carriage when young. Or they may have seen it roaming about -in rough places eating anything it could find, for that is the way with -the goat. It will even eat tobacco and seems to think this a fine diet.</p> - -<p>The wild goat, like the wild sheep, is a dweller in the mountains. It -is still more daring than the sheep. No peaks are too high for it to -climb, and when chased by the hunter it will make long jumps from one -pointed rock to another where no man would dare to follow. No other -animal can equal the goat in climbing and leaping. It is even said -that some kinds of goats will jump down from a high place and save -themselves by falling on their strong horns. But I do not know if -anybody ever saw this done.</p> - -<p>A well-known wild goat is the Ibex of the Alps. This is a splendid -fellow, with long and strong horns but no beard. It used to be very -common, but has been shot at so much that very few are left. The -Chamois of the Alps is an antelope, but is much like the goat, and is -a wonderful jumper. It thinks nothing of leaping over a ravine sixteen -or eighteen feet wide, or over a wall fourteen feet high, or of running -up and down very steep hills. But the hunters have killed most of these -animals also. They think it fine sport to shoot a poor chamois and let -it fall to die in a deep abyss where no one can reach it to get its -body. There are many who do not think this good sport.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> - -<p>Goats, like sheep, were tamed and made natives of the home and farm -very long ago, no one knows how long. The tame kind comes from the wild -goat of Southern Asia, but it has grown smaller in size and its horns -have become shorter. It was kept in Bible times and by the old Greeks -and Romans. These kept it for its milk and the cheese made from it, and -also for its meat. The flesh of the kid, or young goat, is very good, -but that of the old goat has a strong and unpleasant smell which few -people can endure.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_160"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_160.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Alpine Ibex. Note the Curiously Knobbed Horns</p> - </div> - -<p>In modern times Greece and its islands have more goats than they have -people and there are many in Malta and Corsica, Italy and Spain. They -are not kept largely in the United States, there being about one goat -to every fifty sheep.</p> - -<p>The goat will thrive where the ox and the sheep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> would starve, as on -rocky hill-sides or thin, poor soil. There is little they will not eat, -though you had best not believe that they are fond of old tin cans or -any diet of this kind. One bad habit they have is to gnaw the young -shoots of trees, of which they are very fond. This makes them deadly -to forests, for no young trees can grow where they are kept. The goat -has done much to kill out the trees on the hills of southern Europe -and Asia and thus to destroy the forests of those regions. It is also -fond of the grape-vine, and on this account, in ancient times, it was -sacrificed to Bacchus, the god of wine.</p> - -<p>The goat is far from being so dull and stupid an animal as the sheep. -It makes friends with its keepers and is a cunning and curious brute, -though too fond of using its horns. This is often done in play, but in -a way that is not very funny, except to those who look on. It will rear -up and pretend to attack you with its head and horns, but this is only -its way to ask you to play with it. The playful pranks of the kid, or -young goat, are often spoken of in poetry. It is a gay little creature, -fond of capering about in an amusing way.</p> - -<p>In fact the goat is not at all stupid and has often shown sense and -cunning. There is a story of a goat that rang a door bell when hungry -for its dinner, by hooking its horn in the wire. Another story is of -two goats that came face to face on a narrow ridge in the rocks. There -was no room to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> pass and after looking at each other for some minutes -one of them lay down and let the other walk over its body. Two men -could not have done better than that. The long-eared Syrian goat is -trained to do all sorts of tricks. One of these is to balance itself -on a pile of small wooden blocks built up to a height of several feet. -Fancy a sheep doing this!</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_162"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_162.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Milk Goats in the Alps</p> - </div> - -<p>If it be asked what are goats kept for, the answer would be, chiefly -for their milk. Goats' milk is very rich and is easy to digest and this -makes it of much use for sick or feeble persons, to whom cows' milk is -at times dangerous. It is very good for consumptive people. In parts of -Europe it is thought that certain diseases of horses and cattle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> will -not come when goats are with them, so they are often kept in stables -and cow-barns to ward off disease.</p> - -<p>Though the goat is a small animal it gives a large quantity of milk, -often from four to six quarts a day and sometimes more than this. There -are cases where twelve quarts a day have been given. The milk is apt to -have a bitter taste and an unpleasant odor, but that comes from the way -the animals are fed and kept. With good care and food, the milk will -lose this taste. The goats of Syria and Palestine give sweet milk and -goats' milk is much used in that part of the world, as it was in the -old Bible times. The Arabs have a great dislike for cows' milk.</p> - -<p>The milk of the Syrian goats is also very good for making butter and -cheese, which are said to be of very fine quality. Much butter and -cheese are also made in Europe from goats' milk. These have a special -taste of their own, but are much eaten, for one soon gets used to the -taste.</p> - -<p>Goats are made use of for other things than for their milk, butter, -cheese and meat. In early times the goat-skin was used for clothing, -and it still is in some countries. The skins are also used by the -wandering tribes of Asia as vessels to hold drinking water, and also, -tightly sewed and blown out with air, as a sort of boat for crossing or -floating down rivers.</p> - -<p>In our days the skins of goats are made into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> leather. Kid skins are -used for gloves and shoes, and goat skins for morocco, shagreen, and -other fine kinds of leather. The hair is made into ropes which may be -kept in the water without injury; also in England to make wigs for -judges and others, the hair of white goats being used for this. Goats' -hair is also used to make brushes and hats. Knife-handles and other -things are made from the horns, and the fat is better than that of the -ox for candles.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_164"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_164.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Pair of Angora Goats</p> - </div> - -<p>I must now speak of two kinds of goats of use for their wool. One of -these is the Cashmere goat, from the wool of which the fine cashmere -shawls are made. This goat has a coat of long, stiff hair, but under -this is a very fine, soft, fleecy wool, white or gray in color. Of this -each goat yields from one to one and a half pounds. To make a shawl a -yard long, takes the wool of twenty to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> twenty-five goats. They were -formerly made in large numbers but in our days few of them are to be -seen.</p> - -<p>The other wool-yielder is the Angora goat, well known in this country. -This yields a thick and fine wool, soft and silky and slightly curled. -The color is mostly snow-white, though at times there are dark patches. -It is shed in great locks in summer, but soon grows again. During the -hot weather the goats are constantly washed and combed, to add to the -beauty of their wool. The finest Angora wool, called Mohair, comes from -goats a year old. All its value is lost at six years of age.</p> - - -<h3>IN THE PIG-STY</h3> - -<p>Let us now take a glance at that grunting brute known to us by the -various names of pig, hog, and swine, which dwells in the pig-sty when -tame and in the forest when wild. Clad in bristles, with thick skin, -short legs, curled-up tail, no neck, and round snout, no one would buy -the pig for a beauty. But in his case use goes ahead of beauty, and who -will say that he is not of use?</p> - -<p>Though the pig is a very docile brute in man's care, he is far from -mild and gentle in his wild state. In fact, the wild hog is not an -animal to be played with, nor is it a safe one to fight with. Hardy and -active, fierce and bold as a lion, with a strong head and long, sharp -tusks in his large jaw, the hunter who goes out to seek him in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -lair must do so with care and skill or the pig will get the best of the -hunt.</p> - -<p>Most of the beasts of the wildwood let the hog alone. He is not safe -game. But for many long years he has been hunted by man, who likes a -game that has a spice of danger. In the days of old Rome the chase of -the hog was a favorite sport, and it was the same in later times, when -the lords and dukes of England and Germany were very fond of hunting -the wild boar. In our days "pig-sticking" is a common sport of the -English in India.</p> - -<p>Mounted on trained horses and armed with long, sharp lances, the -hunters seek to bring down their game from the saddle. But if by any -foul chance the hunter should be thrown from his horse near the hunted -brute his chance for life is not good. The furious brute will rush upon -him, and with one thrust of its strong jaws may rip his body open with -a deadly wound. Great nobles and warriors have met with death in this -base way and the wild hog has held his own bravely among his enemies.</p> - -<p>Is this fierce fighter of the forest the same animal as the lazy -grunter of the pig-sty? There is no doubt of it. His long life under -man's care has taken all the fight out of him. Only in one way does he -show his old temper. He is the most obstinate of all the animals we -know. He does not like to be driven and will do his best to go<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> just -where you do not want him to. But he no longer fights to win his way; -he only grunts or squeals and holds back.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_167"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_167.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">From Madeira's "Hunting in British East Africa"</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Wart Hog. An African Tusked Cousin of the Wild Boar of Europe</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">Try to drive a pig and you will find this out. You will soon be in a -fret over the stubborn brute. If you want him to go forward you may -find it best to try and drive him backward. An Irishman tells us that -this is the only way to "persuade" a pig.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> - -<p>It takes a Chinaman to make little piggy go the right way, and this is -done by putting him in a basket and carrying him. Two men carry this -basket, hung on a pole. It is a sort of cradle in which piggy goes to -market. The only time the pig can show his obstinate temper is when -he is asked to go into the cradle. He holds back, as usual, but the -cunning Chinaman knows what to do. He takes hold of the pig's tail and -gives it a hard pull as if trying to drag him backward and the stubborn -brute at once rushes forward into his cradle.</p> - -<p>The pig will eat almost anything. By nature he is a plant feeder and -in his wild state will roam the forest feeding on plants, fruits, and -roots of all kinds. His hard snout helps him to dig into the ground -in search of favorite roots and his keen sense of smell aids him in -finding them. Thus he likes wet, shady places where the ground is soft -and such plants grow.</p> - -<p>In France and Italy the pig is trained to hunt for truffles, a kind of -fungus which grows under ground and which makes good eating. He finds -the truffles by his sense of smell and roots them up with his snout. -In some places dogs are trained to do the same. The truffle found, the -pig's master rescues it for his own table.</p> - -<p>Pigs are fond of mast, the name given to the acorns and beech nuts that -cover the ground in the nutting season in oak and beech woods. In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -ancient times it was the common practice to fatten the pigs on these -nuts in the proper season.</p> - -<p>A hungry pig is not particular about his food. If no plants are to be -had he will feed on worms, snakes, and small animals of any kind. Pigs -in the pen are often fed on animal refuse, all sorts of kitchen slops -being poured into their troughs. They will swallow this stuff greedily -enough, but it is not good for them, or at least for those who eat -their flesh, for this loses in flavor and is not so wholesome as when -they are fed on good vegetable food.</p> - -<p>Corn and clover are two of the things the pig likes best. Turn him -out into a clover field and he will have a joyful time of his own in -this rich food and put plenty of good fat on his ribs. He does no harm -to the field if not left there too long and it does good to him. In -fattening pigs corn is freely given. It is not best to give corn alone, -but it makes a good dessert after he has had the run of the pasture or -clover field, and is the best fattener when he is being put in order -for the market.</p> - -<p>In visiting a farm the pig-pen is one of the things we are shown. It is -not a pleasant place for a morning call, for the smell is not a sweet -perfume and the mire in which the pig rolls is not nice. We are apt to -go away with the feeling that this animal is a dirty brute.</p> - -<p>This is giving poor piggy a bad name which he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> does not deserve. It is -his owner more than himself that is to blame. If he had his own way he -would be clean enough. Like all thick-skinned animals the pig loves to -wallow in the mire and cover himself with mud to protect him against -insects. But left to himself he will keep his sleeping place clean. -Those who know how to keep pigs soon learn this and supply the animals -with dry and clean places to sleep in.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_170"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_170.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Fat Berkshire Hog. A Monarch of the Sty</p> - </div> - -<p>Pork, or the flesh of the pig, has long been used as meat. In some -places so much is thought of it that the animal is held to be sacred. -It is the chief flesh food in the South Sea islands, where the animal -was long made a precious sacrifice to the deities. This was also the -case in ancient Greece, and on the island of Crete the hog was a sacred -animal.</p> - -<p>No people have ever been fonder of hog meat than the ancient Romans, -and we are told of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> strange ways by which they gave it a fine flavor. -They fed their pigs with old, dried figs, drenched with wine and honey. -This was to make their livers grow large, pig's liver being a choice -Roman dish.</p> - -<p>In cooking the meat they would often serve a pig whole, one side being -boiled and the other side roasted. In dressing the animal for the -tables of the emperors and of rich Romans they would stuff it with such -delicate food as larks and nightingales and serve it with wine and rich -gravies. To eat pork in such ways would seem very odd in our days.</p> - -<p>In many countries pork is the favorite meat. We find it so in Germany -and France. In Ireland every peasant raises his pig, which makes its -home in the same hut with him and thinks itself one of the family. In -the end the man often has to sell his pig to help him out of debt, and -looks on the porker as "the gintleman that pays the rent."</p> - -<p>But the pig is not eaten all over the world. The Jews and Mohammedans -will not eat it, and look upon it as an unclean animal. As there are -nearly two hundred millions of these people on the earth, there are -at least that many who do not eat pork. But aside from these, pork is -eaten by the great mass of the people of the earth.</p> - -<p>The pig is not an American animal. All our pigs, and they are many -millions in number, came from animals brought from Europe. We<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> have -here the peccary, a kind of little pig, very savage and dangerous, as -it goes in herds and attacks every man or other animal it meets. But -it has never been tamed, and we owe our pigs to the Spanish and other -discoverers.</p> - -<p>Our swine have grown mighty in numbers, and we pay the Old World for -its gift of the pig by sending it back every year many millions of -dollars' worth of pork, bacon, hams, lard, and other pig products. The -best foreign breeds have been brought here and other breeds have been -produced here, so that the American pig is hard to beat. This country -is the great corn country of the world and great part of its corn is -fed to the pigs of the West, so that we sell much of our corn in Europe -in the form of pork.</p> - -<p>Of the many breeds of pigs, that of China is one of the best. The -Chinese are as kind to their pigs as the Irish and they have an animal -worth being good to, one that has been sent abroad to many other -countries. It is noted for its small size, fine head and snout, large -hams and shoulders, compact body, fine bone, hair and skin and sweet, -delicate meat. We have it in some of the best American breeds.</p> - -<p>If it be asked what the pig is used for, we should say that there is no -part of it that is not used for some purpose. We eat it under the names -of pork, bacon, ham and lard; its skin is made into leather, which -is much used for saddles; the bristles are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> used for brush-making. -In fact, when we think of all its uses, there is little left but the -squeal and in our days even that may be used in the phonograph.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_173"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_173.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Razor-back Hog of the South. Compare this lean Beast -with the Fat Berkshire Hog given above</p> - </div> - -<p>We might look upon the pig as a stupid animal, that lives only to eat -and to be eaten, but this is not the case. It is in fact, a rather -smart fellow in its way and can be taught to do many tricks. If you -have ever seen what are called "learned pigs" you will agree with this.</p> - -<p>The pig can do tricks without being taught. We have told how cats and -some other animals can open latches and gate pegs. This the pig can -do as well as any of them. We are told of one pig<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> that was taught to -point game like a pointer dog, and did this so well that she was more -useful than a dog.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_174"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_174.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Animals of the Farm and Poultry Yard</p> - </div> - -<p>Here is a good pig story. A gentleman named Stephen Harding says:—"I -saw an intelligent sow-pig about twelve months old running in an -orchard, going to a young apple tree and shaking it, pricking up her -ears at the same time as if to listen to hear the apples fall. She then -picked the apples up and ate them. After they were all down she shook -the tree again and listened, but as there were no more to fall she went -away." That might not be very smart in a boy, but it is smart in a pig.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_175" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_175.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">V<br /> - -THE BIRDS OF THE POULTRY YARD</h2> - - -<p>We have had a long talk about the four-legged home-folks, those -animals, big and little, that aid man in hunting, amuse him as house -pets, carry him on his journeys, pull his carts and wagons, supply him -with milk, butter and cheese, and yield him food for the table, wool -for clothing, skins for leather, and other things for other uses.</p> - -<p>This is a long list of the good that man gets from the animals he -tames and feeds. But it is not the whole. There is another class of -animals, two-legged ones this time, with claws instead of hoofs, horny -beaks instead of mouths, feathers instead of hair, and wings in place -of fore-legs. These are the birds of the poultry yard and the lawn, -some of them kept for their eggs, some for their flesh, some for the -splendor of their plumage; some of them very useful, others very -beautiful.</p> - -<p>I am sure that you will enjoy a talk about these winged and feathered -creatures. They belong more closely to the home-life of all people than -some of our four-legged friends and helpers, as they are kept close to -the house and fed by its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> people, not left to feed themselves in the -fields. Best known and most useful among these is the hen or chicken, -our clucking friend of the poultry-yard, who fills our pantries with -eggs and is served on our tables as one of the best liked foods.</p> - - -<h3>THE HEN AND ITS BROOD</h3> - -<p>The city, we know, is a hotbed of noises, sounds of all sorts troubling -our ears by day and night. We try at times to get rid of them, but -find that not easy to do. The best thing for us is to get used to them -and learn to sleep in spite of them. We need to become like Jock the -miller, who got so used to the roar and clang of his mill that he could -not sleep when it was still.</p> - -<p>Some city people find it so hard to get used to the noises of the night -that they go to the country for a quiet sleep. Do they find it? They -may in still winter nights, but in the summer season the country has -noises of its own. As soon as night falls a host of wood insects begin -their endless drone. Then there is the locust and the katydid, with -their shrill calls, and perhaps the whip-poor-will, with its mournful -cry.</p> - -<p>Falling to sleep at last, after these sounds have lost their force, no -sooner are the first faint rays of light sent from the east, at three -or four o'clock in the morning, than a new sound invades the ear and -wakens the sleeper with a sudden start.</p> - -<p>This is the early waking cock, with his loud<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> "cock-a-doodle-doo." -Standing on his own fortress he sounds his shrill alarm. A dozen more, -near and far, from all points of the compass, take up the tune. The air -is soon full of this strident cock-crow, the signal of the coming of -the sun, until all hope of sleep is at an end, and the pilgrim wishes -himself well back in his city bed. He finds the country not such a -sweet sleep-producer as he hoped.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_177"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_177.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Feeding the Chickens in the Farm-yard</p> - </div> - -<p>In old times people held the cock to be a sacred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> animal, the herald -of the dawn, the symbol of light and the sun. In later times it was -held to be the wide-awake sentry of the coming day. There are places -where its image is mounted on church steeples on guard over the winds. -Everywhere it is the emblem of vigilance, and this is what the city -sleeper in country beds finds it.</p> - -<p>With its stately attitude, its erect head crowned with feathers like -an Indian chief, its showy spread of tail, and its air of pride and -dignity, our cock strides about as the lord of the farm-yard and peals -out his loud "cock-a-doodle-doo" like a challenge to battle. And he is -usually quite ready for battle if any rival cock takes up his challenge.</p> - -<p>While the cock thus blows his trumpet blast, the hen finds other work -to do. Her business is to lay eggs, hatch out her brood of funny little -chicks, lead them about the poultry yard in search of worms and other -food, and gather them fussily under her wings when a hawk is seen in -the sky or any danger appears.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hen does not have the ear-splitting voice of Mr. Cock, but she -has a language of her own. There are only a few words in it but each -of them has a meaning. There is the proud cackle with which she tells -the world that she has laid an egg, the lively chuckle with which she -brings her brood to a feast of worms, and the quick cry of danger which -sets them running to the fortress of her wings. Her brood know what all -these chicken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span>words mean, and it is for their ears they are spoken.</p> - -<p>The hen is not as handsome a bird as some other inmates of the poultry -yard, but if we look over all our stock of these birds we will find -some very good-looking ones, these for their showy colors, those for -their fine shape.</p> - -<p>Among those that are kept more for ornament than use are the great -Cochin China fowls, stately birds, giants of their kind, of lordly -bearing and fine coloring. They do not lay many eggs and those they do -lay are small. Also they are not very good to eat. But they win respect -through their size and beauty and thus are kept by many as birds of -show.</p> - -<p>Another family of giant fowls are the Brahmas. They are smaller than -the Cochin Chinas, but are as handsome, and along with this they lay -many and large eggs and their flesh is very good. So these are kept not -only as birds of show but birds of use.</p> - -<p>When we come down to hens of smaller size we find a number of breeds, -not less than forty in all, dwelling in various parts of the world and -many of than good in various ways. Like nearly all our home animals, -America is not the native place of the hen. Neither is Europe, for it -came from Asia, that great continent in which so many animals were -first born. But the hen tribe has spread all over the earth, the -chicken is a household treas<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span>ure almost from the north pole to the -south, and we can hardly find a country home in any land without its -crowing cock and its clucking hen.</p> - -<p>While not native to America, it makes itself very much at home there -and the United States has some excellent breeds of its own, of which we -may be proud. These are the Plymouth Rocks and the Wyandottes, which -have been called the national fowls of America and which can hold their -own with the best breeds of Europe. While we have brought a number of -fine breeds from foreign lands, we have sent these two abroad, and they -have won high praise both for beauty and usefulness.</p> - -<p>The Wyandottes are of various colors, the white being best liked; -others are of silver, golden, speckled, black, and partridge-color. -They are splendid egg layers, filling the yearly basket with from a -hundred and fifty to two hundred eggs.</p> - -<p>The Plymouth Rock may be speckled, light yellow, or white, and it bears -a strong resemblance to the Wyandotte, except that the latter has a -double comb on its head while the former has a single one.</p> - -<p>As the cow is kept for its meat and its milk, and the sheep for its -meat and its wool, so is the hen kept for two purposes, its flesh and -its eggs. Some kinds are bred for the table and they are of great value -in our food-supply. Everybody likes a dish of chicken meat, which is -fine in flavor, easy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> of digestion, and very good for the weak or sick.</p> - -<p>Other kinds are kept for egg-laying and the egg-harvest of the world -is vast in size. It is the nature of the hen to lay eggs enough for a -brood of chicks, sit on them to keep them warm, and take care of the -brood when it appears until the chicks are old enough to scratch for -their own living.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_181"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_181.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">English Dorking Cock and Hen</p> - </div> - -<p>But these duties take up much time in which no eggs are laid, and the -farmers who deal in eggs try to prevent the hens from nest-making and -egg-hatching. In this way many hens have been forced to forget what -they were made for and have gone out of the hatching business. These -give all their spare time to egg-laying. Some of them lay more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> than -two hundred eggs a year. Breeds of this kind are found mostly in the -countries along the Mediterranean.</p> - -<p>The number of chickens kept and of eggs laid in the world is far out of -sight. In the United States alone in 1900 there were nearly 250,000,000 -chickens, and nearly 1,300,000,000 dozen of eggs were laid. This -made three chickens for each man, woman and child in the country and -seventeen dozen of eggs for each. Since then the number has grown much -larger and the annual egg crop of the world, if it could be heaped up -together, would make a pyramid far larger than the largest in Egypt.</p> - - -<h3>THE GAME COCK AND ITS BATTLES</h3> - -<p>I do not want to say much about cock-fighting, for it is a cruel sport -and leads to the vice of gambling, through which many lose large sums -of money. But the fighting of game-cocks has a history of its own, and -cannot be quite passed over in our story of the hen and its brood.</p> - -<p>The males of all the higher animals are fond of fighting. It is one -of their duties to act as guardians of the family against danger from -outside, while the females look after home affairs. This fighting -temper is very common among animals and men have often made use of -it in getting up battles between animals. We find it in the chicken -family, and cock-fighting has long been enjoyed by sport-loving people.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> - -<p>While all cocks are ready to fight at times, and the winning cock -struts about the poultry yard like a conqueror, there are special -breeds known as Game-cocks which are always ready for a battle and will -fight till victory or death ends the fray. Game-cocks are classed among -the ornamental poultry, for they are of little use as food and their -hens lay few eggs. Yet they are highly thought of in some countries, a -good fighter is treated as a member of the family, and one that has won -several victories is worth much money to his owner.</p> - -<p>There are two kinds of fighting cocks, large ones and small ones. Some -of the little kind are not larger than pigeons. They are usually known -as Bantams, from the town of Bantam, in Java, though it is more likely -they came from Japan. These little birds, many of them of only a pound -in weight, are heroes of the poultry yard, for a fighting bantam is -more than a match for a common cock five times its size. The bantam has -been spoken of as "a fine example of a great soul in a little body."</p> - -<p>The large game-cocks of Europe come chiefly from France and Belgium, -but good ones may be found in other countries. In fighting, the chief -weapon is the sharp spur on the back of the leg, which they use as a -sort of dagger. It is common to fasten steel spurs, and sometimes even -silver ones, on the leg, and the first blow from one of these may bring -death to an opponent.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> - -<p>Cock-fighting is a very old form of amusement. It was common among the -Greeks and Romans, and was kept up in England for six centuries. It was -even an annual sport at public schools. Laws have been passed against -it at various times, the last in 1849, but it is still practiced now -and then out of sight of the law officers. The same may be said of the -United States. In these times this sport is most common in India, the -Malay Islands, and the Spanish countries of America, where the people -are very fond of it.</p> - -<p>The training of cocks to fight and getting the bird ready for the -cock-pit is an art in itself. It needs skill to fasten on the spurs. -Two years old is the best fighting age. When a match is made it is -settled how many birds there shall be on each side and they are -carefully weighed, those within an ounce of each other being matched. -These are said to "fall in." Those that do not fall in are set to fight -what are called "byes." In a Welsh main the cocks fight until only one -is left alive. They are like the famous "Kilkenny cats."</p> - -<p>If we should seek a country where cock-fighting may take place under -the laws, the nearest to us is in the isle of Cuba. In the cities of -that island the cock-pit is as popular as the circus is with us. It is -a circular space, with seats around filled with lookers-on and bettors, -for much money is lost and won in one of these fights. The birds are of -a native breed, and are said to be very brave and bold.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> - -<p>In a country under our own rule, the Philippine Islands, cock-fighting -is one of the best liked forms of sport. To take this from the Filipino -would be worse than robbing him of his freedom. Sundays and feast-days -are the times for cock-fighting, and on these dates the cock-pit is -sure to be crowded. When a feast-day arrives, after the siesta, which -comes in the hot hours of the afternoon, crowds of natives may be seen -going to the large bamboo building where the fight is to take place, -many of them with fighting cocks under their arms. A sharp steel spur, -two inches or more in length, is tied to the left leg of each, as an -aid to the spurs given the cock by nature.</p> - -<p>These cocks are the great treasures of the natives. The bird is often -more to its owner than his children. He fondly caresses it, and it -eats, crows, and sleeps in his arms. But it is apt to become a nuisance -to the traveller, for he often has to spend the night in the same room -with the family cock, and as it begins to crow about three o'clock in -the morning all sleep after that hour is at an end.</p> - -<p>Inside the pit two cocks at a time are matched, and when the hour -for the fight is reached dollars begin to rain into the ring, each -bettor laying a stake on his favorite and throwing his money into -the ring. Then come the words <i>usada</i> ("matched,") and <i>largo</i> ("let -go"), and in an instant the two birds are in and at each other, -fighting as fiercely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> as two bull-pups. The battle is usually short, a -well-directed blow from the steel spur stretching one of them dead on -the ground.</p> - -<p>The name of the winner is now called out and those who have won bets -hurry down into the ring and pick up their own stakes as well as the -sums they have won. This seems a queer method, but the bettors act -honestly. It is safest to do so, for to take more than their due would -likely lead to a knife thrust from these hot-tempered people. Under the -Spanish law fifty dollars was the limit of a bet; but little heed was -paid to this and larger bets were often made.</p> - - -<h3>THE WEB-FOOTED DUCK AND GOOSE</h3> - -<p>While the hen is not fond of water, the duck and goose could not well -live without it. They are born for swimming, with webs between their -toes that serve as oars. On the land they walk with an ugly waddling -gait, but in the water they are very graceful, and a flock of swimming -ducks or geese is a pretty sight.</p> - -<p>In raising ducks the nature of the bird needs to be kept in mind. Water -is its native element and it will not do well on the land. It cannot -be kept in a coop or an inclosed place like fowls, but give it an open -field, with a running stream, and it will ask nothing more. You will -hardly need to feed it, for it knows well how to feed itself.</p> - -<p>The duck is not a lazy bird. It will eat almost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> anything, and is -always waddling about picking up snails, grubs, and insects, or sailing -on the water and thrusting its beak into the soft mud for worms.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_187"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_187.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Willie and His Pet Ducks</p> - </div> - -<p>If the duck farm is large enough and has a pond or stream, the keeping -of ducks is very easy. They are nearly free from disease and need -little looking after. Some kinds of ducks are very handsome, their -colors being bright and varied. The male of the common duck (known as -a drake) has a splendid plumage in its wild state. The head and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> upper -neck are of deep emerald green. Lower down is a collar of white, and -the lower neck is of dark chestnut. The wings are of a beautiful deep -blue.</p> - -<p>The tame bird is not nearly so beautiful. It uses its legs instead of -its wings to get about, so that it almost forgets how to fly. This easy -life and plenty of food helps it to grow and fatten, a fact that makes -it better suited to man's use. It has long forgotten how to build a -nest and almost how to sit on its eggs, so that in some places the hen -is used to hatch out the young ducks. To see a hen going about with a -flock of young ducklings looks odd to us, and when the little waddlers -jump into the water and swim away the hen mother seems sadly scared. -She fears that all her pretty ducklings will be drowned.</p> - -<p>When the baby duck gets out of the egg and is ready to begin life it is -shut up for a few days and fed on soft food, such as ground wheat and -barley mixed with hard-boiled egg. After this it is let out into the -field and set free to search for the animal food it needs. In Belgium, -where many ducklings are raised, it is comical to see the breeder -hopping about the field on big wooden shoes, kicking up the earth as he -goes so as to force out the worms for the little strangers to feed on. -It does not take them long to learn how to find food for themselves.</p> - -<p>Of the different kinds of ducks we may name the Rouen of France as a -fine and beautiful bird<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> and a good layer. In England the Aylesbury is -the best, as it grows fast, is very hardy and lays many eggs. The Pekin -duck is much like it and is highly thought of in this country, where -large numbers of white Pekins are raised for market. The duck of India -is new to us but has won its way among duck raisers. It is the best of -its kind as an egg layer, its harvest being over one hundred and fifty -eggs a year. Its flesh is very delicate so that it is much liked for -the table.</p> - -<p>While the duck is not so widely kept as the hen, there are places where -it is raised in large numbers. In the United States there are duck -farms in which as many as twenty thousand birds a year are grown. There -are no farms like this in Europe, though in some countries ducks are -raised in great multitudes. These are not allowed to grow old, being -sent to market when eight to twelve months of age. They pay better when -sold at this age, for after that new feathers begin to grow and buyers -do not want them.</p> - -<p>If we turn now to the Goose, we find it a swimmer like the duck, but -larger in size and with a much longer neck. It belongs to the duck -family, but does not eat animal food like the duck. It gets a good -living off of grass and this makes it cheap and easy to raise. In -Russia, where geese are kept in large numbers, the goose girl leads her -flock every morning to the fields, lets them feed during the day, and -brings them home at night<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> to the village. The goslings are given some -ground grain for a few weeks, and then are left to feed themselves.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_190"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_190.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">An Assault by Hungry Geese</p> - </div> - -<p>The goose, like the duck, has largely gone out of the business of egg -hatching, turkeys or large fowls being used to sit on the eggs. They -are neither good hatchers nor good layers, the best breeds rarely -giving more than thirty eggs a year. But they are hardy and healthy -and do not die off like young chickens. They can bear cold easily, and -though a shelter is made for them in winter, they always sleep in the -open air in the summer.</p> - -<p>The goose is a strong bird and can strike a hard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> blow with its wing. -In trying to catch them the keeper must be careful, for they are able -to break his arm with a blow and have done so more than once. But -they are good watchers for the farm. They wake very easily, and if a -stranger comes upon the farm in the night they make noise enough to -arouse the whole household.</p> - -<p>This habit has given the goose a place in history. The Romans of old -kept a number of geese in the temple of Juno on the hill where stood -the Capitol. The goose was sacred to that goddess and it was the custom -to keep a flock in her temples. One night a party of Gauls, who had -laid siege to the city of Rome, found a narrow path up the steep hill -and were almost at the top when the sacred geese heard them and made -so loud a cackling that the garrison woke up and rushed out. Here the -Gauls who had reached the top were flung down the steep hill, stones -were thrown down on those that followed, and the Capitol was saved.</p> - -<p>One of the best known breeds of geese is that of the Giant goose of -Toulouse, usually about sixteen pounds but sometimes twenty-four pounds -in weight. The Embden goose is still larger. The Giant goose of Italy -is the only good layer, and yields about sixty eggs a year. In Germany -and some other countries geese are driven for days along the roads, -in flocks of several hundred. They are not easily tired and are good -travellers, so that this is the cheapest way to get them to market.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span></p> - -<p>As for the uses to which the goose is put, these are simply for food -and for their feathers and quills, which are plucked several times a -year. The fine, soft feathers are of much value for pillows and beds, -and before the steel pen was invented goose quills were used all over -Europe and America to make into pens.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_192"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_192.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Gander Hissing at an Enemy</p> - </div> - -<p>In England the goose is often roasted for the Christmas dinner, as the -turkey is with us, and the gizzards, heads and legs are sold in sets, -under the name of "giblets," to be used for pies. Goose liver has long -been a dainty dish. It is made in Strasburg to grow very large by -keeping the geese in a room at high temperature. In this state it is -sold as a great delicacy under the French name of <i>pâté de foie gras</i> -("pasty of fat liver").</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> - - -<h3>THE TURKEY AND THE GUINEA FOWL</h3> - -<p>So far we have had to do with birds and beasts of foreign birth. As -men from abroad have peopled our cities, so animals from abroad have -peopled our fields, and we have not as yet met with one true American -in the list.</p> - -<p>It is lucky that I have a native American to offer you, and one that -is in some ways the finest of all our birds of the farm. This is the -Turkey, the largest of them all and the choicest when roasted and -served upon the table. We may well ask, what would a Christmas dinner -be like without this noble bird to fill the place of honor?</p> - -<p>There are wild turkeys still in our woods, though the bullets of the -hunter have left few of those once found there. These wild birds have -certain odd habits well worth speaking of. Thus the male birds keep -away from the females during a great part of the year, going about in -flocks of from ten to a hundred, and feeding on grain, seeds, fruits, -insects, tadpoles, lizards and such small game. The females go about -singly or in flocks with their young. They take care to keep away from -the old males, which have a bad habit of killing and eating the young.</p> - -<p>Turkeys roost in trees but make their nests on the ground, laying from -ten to twenty eggs before setting. These are much larger than the egg -of the hen. The wild turkeys have small wings and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> are poor flyers, so -that when they try to cross a river a mile wide many give out and fall -into the water. But they usually manage to swim ashore.</p> - -<p>There are two species of wild turkey in America, one native to the -United States and Mexico and one found in Central America. The latter -is somewhat smaller than our home bird but is finer in color, its -feathers being of a beautiful metallic-green or bronze color, with hues -of black, gold and sky color. The male turkey has a habit much like -that of the peacock. He spreads his large tail upward like a fan, while -his wings are made to trail on the ground. In this way he struts round -and round with great dignity, giving vent at times to a loud "gobble, -gobble," an odd sound of his own.</p> - -<p>The tame animal has the same habits, gobbling and strutting in the same -way. Cared for and fed for the market, it grows to be a large and fat -bird, with plenty of rich, juicy meat upon its bones. It is its size -and the sweetness and delicacy of its flesh which make it a feast-day -favorite.</p> - -<p>The turkey is fond of roaming about and does not like to be confined -to the poultry yard. On a large farm, where there is plenty of room to -wander, the bird will do well and find most of its own food. But the -young birds are delicate and hard to raise and it takes great care to -bring them alive through babyhood. The hot sun hurts them and so do -rain-storms and it is bad for them to get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> wet by running through long -grass. If they are carefully attended to for their first few weeks of -life and fed on food fitted to their young tastes they can be trusted -afterwards to take good care of themselves.</p> - -<p>While this bird has long been one of the prized tenants of our home -poultry yards, the same is the case in Europe. There is a Mexican -variety, with a whitish tail, which was taken to Europe by the early -Spaniards and has spread widely in that continent, where it is raised -with great care.</p> - -<p>There are few large farms in America and Europe on which these birds -are not kept—not in large numbers like the hen, for they do not take -kindly to home life and need much room to wander, but enough for the -demand. They are first-class hatchers, and will sit on from twenty to -twenty-four eggs. They also take very good care of their flocks and -guard them from harm.</p> - -<p>The turkey, as we all know, is a large bird. It may be had of many -sizes for the Christmas table, from ten or twelve pounds up to -twenty-five or thirty. While much attention is paid to it in this -country, it perhaps gets still more in Europe. In our cities it is a -sad case when a family cannot have a roast turkey for its Christmas -dinner, and in England it is taking the place of the roast goose, -once the favorite. But the goose still holds a pleasant corner in the -British mind. Any of you who have read Dickens's story of Tiny Tim<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> and -Bob Cratchit's Christmas dinner will be sure of this.</p> - -<p>It is a queer fact that, while the turkey is the only American bird -on our farms, it is at the same time the only one that has been given -an old world name. It was early named after the Turks, under a wrong -impression as to its origin, and the name has clung to it. It is quite -as strange that the same must be said of the natives of America, who -were given the name of Indians from the idea of Columbus that it was -the land of India he had found. This name has also clung.</p> - -<p>France is a country well suited to the raising of turkeys, and for -hundreds of years the turkey has been a favorite bird in that land. -Splendid birds are grown there, chief among them being the Solonge -turkey. This is a bird of a brilliant black color, though now and -then it is of white or steel-blue. They grow to be very large, one -having been sent to the poultry shows of 1902 of the great weight of -forty-five pounds.</p> - -<p>This was sent to Spain to be seen and was visited in Madrid by the king -and queen. On its return it took cold and when it got well of this it -was killed by a fellow who did not believe in fat turkeys. The turkey -was revenged, for the murderer spent five months in prison for his -crime.</p> - -<p>In some of the villages of France a woman is paid at the public cost as -a care-keeper of the turkeys. Every morning she gathers her flock<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> in -the village and leads them to the open fields like the goose girl of -Russia. When she comes home at night with her flock she does not need -to pick out those of the different owners. Every bird knows its home -and goes there, never making a mistake.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_197"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_197.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Driving Turkeys to Market</p> - </div> - -<p>That is all we need now say about the turkey. The rest may be left -unsaid till the Christmas<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> dinner, when the noble bird lies brown and -steaming on his back in the great platter. Then the carver stands over -him knife in hand and we hear from him the customary question, "Which -will you have, white meat or dark?" To most of us it does not matter -which so that we get a bounteous share.</p> - -<p>The Guinea-fowl, of which we shall speak in passing, must be dealt with -briefly, for it is not largely kept in our home poultry yards, though -much attention is paid to it in some parts of the world. It is one of -the few gifts which Africa has made to our home-life family.</p> - -<p>This bird belongs in the pheasant tribe and is found in Guinea and -South Africa. It also occurs in the north and was much liked by the -ancient Romans. But it is better fitted to warm than to cold climates, -and as the young are apt to die of infant troubles it is not kept in -large numbers in our poultry yards. Yet the bird and its eggs bring -good prices in the market.</p> - -<p>The climate of Jamaica is just right for the Guinea-fowl and in that -island it has made itself at home, taking to the woods and to a wild -life. There it has become fond of feeding on the growing crops and is -hunted and shot like a game bird.</p> - -<p>The special fact about this bird rests in its color, it being prettily -speckled with round white spots on a dark gray color of plumage. There -are several species, the best known being the common<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> guinea, which is -often called "come-back" from its call. In its wild state it gathers in -large flocks and is very shy and hard to get near, while it keeps up -most of the time a harsh cry which Latham compares to a door turning -on rusty hinges or a wheel on an ungreased axle. In the farm-yard it -perches at night in high places and if disturbed rouses up the whole -neighborhood by its ceaseless cry.</p> - -<p>The eggs of the Guinea-fowl are smaller than those of the hen and -rounder in shape. They are of a reddish-white color, and are delicious -eating. Many are laid and the female has the habit of hiding her nest -until the young are hatched out. The flesh tastes like that of the -pheasant, but is rather dry. It was served up at the Roman feasts, and -is much liked now by many persons.</p> - -<p>It may be further said about this bird that it is at times a nuisance -in the poultry yard, for the male guinea has the tendency to attack the -other poultry and act the tyrant over them. Another habit is to scrape -in the ground like a hen. It also loves to roll in the dust and thus -free itself from insects.</p> - - -<h3>THE SWAN, AN IMAGE OF GRACE</h3> - -<p>Next on our list of home birds is the Swan, one of the most beautiful -and graceful of the whole bird race. When afloat, like a winged boat, -on the still surface of lake or pond, with its snow-white body<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> and -wings and its long, curving neck, it is a thing of beauty which we are -all glad to see and enjoy.</p> - -<p>The swan may still be found wild, but it has long been tamed and kept -as an ornament of lakes and rivers and the broad ponds of country -homes. Here it may be seen gliding softly along, with its white wings -partly lifted, as if to catch the wind, and its neck gracefully bending -as it moves.</p> - -<p>In ancient times the swan was called the Bird of Apollo or of Orpheus, -and was held to have splendid musical powers, singing most sweetly when -it was dying. But this is a fancy of the poets, for the voice of the -tame swan has no music in it, being only a sort of hiss, like that of -the goose. There is a variety of the bird called the Trumpet Swan, but -it is so noisy that few care to keep it. Also in Australia there is a -bird called the Singing Swan, with a voice that might be spoken of as a -kind of song. Some of these have been brought to Europe, but the common -swan has no sort of song, living or dying.</p> - -<p>There is an American species of the swan, which in winter may be seen -flying in flocks as far south as Texas, but this has not been tamed. -There is also a black swan found in Australia, and now to be seen in a -tame state. It is deep black in color, except the main feathers of the -wings, which are white. It is not nearly so pretty as the white swan, -but when black and white are kept in the same pond the contrast is very -fine.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> - -<p>The black-necked swan of South America is thought by many to be the -most handsome of them all. Its bright white body and black neck make a -pleasing contrast. When tamed this bird keeps to its own part of the -pond, as if too proud to mix with common folks, and will fight them off -if they come too near.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_201"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_201.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Black Swan of Australia</p> - </div> - -<p>In fact, the swan is always ready to fight if it is meddled with. Quiet -and docile with its friends, it does not like strangers and will make -furious attacks on its enemies. When the mother bird is going about -with her flock it is best to keep out of her way, for she is jealous of -her brood, and if the male bird is near he will not bear meddling with -his family party. He will attack men and dogs alike if they come too -close and drives away the other birds of the pond. His weapons<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> are his -strong wings, with which he can deal powerful blows.</p> - -<p>Under the law of England the swan is a bird royal. All swans found on -sea or river in a partly wild state are claimed as birds of the crown. -These royal birds are marked in a special way and whoever steals one -of the king's marked birds may be punished as a thief. The same is the -case with tame swans and with swan's eggs. He who steals or destroys -the latter is liable to a fine of five shillings for each egg.</p> - -<p>The mother swan lays from six to twelve eggs, on which she broods for -thirty-six days, while the father bird keeps at hand with a sharp -lookout for meddlers. They make their own nests and take care of -themselves, though a little island is often built up in the middle of -the pond with a straw-lined shelter in which the nest may be made. -After they are hatched, the little swans take boldly to the water and -swim about in search of food. They are gray when born and do not gain -their dazzling white color until they are two years old.</p> - -<p>Swans live chiefly on plant food, but they are also fond of fish spawn -and will destroy this in great quantities, thus helping to keep down -the crop of fish. In the tame state they are fed by throwing food upon -the water, though they may be taught to come ashore and seek their food -in a fixed place.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span></p> - -<p>In Belgium there is a flock which has been taught to come to the casino -of the military officers for its meals. The casino stands close to the -canal and steps go down to the water. Every afternoon at feeding time -the swans may be seen coming up the steps from the canal and crossing -the street to the kitchen of the casino, where they make a signal by -knocking on the floor with their beaks. The cooks then throw them -food. After this is eaten they make their way, at the command of the -head-cook, in a straight line back to the canal, heedless of men, dogs, -or wagons which may be in their way.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_203"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_203.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Graceful White Swan Swimming</p> - </div> - -<p>In former times swans were used for food, and it was common at every -great feast in England to serve up roast swan, there being special -rules how it was to be cooked and the proper gravy made.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> Swan's quills -were also used for pens. In our days it is seldom eaten and quill pens -rarely used, and the only value to be had from the swan comes from its -downy feathers and its large and beautiful wings, which often bring -good prices.</p> - - -<h3>THE PROUD AND GAUDY PEACOCK</h3> - -<p>Among all the birds of the poultry yard first in display stands the -peacock, one of the most splendid in show of all birds. This fine -fellow, with his glowing colors and royal tail, has some claim to be -proud of his looks. Any of you who have seen him will agree with me in -this. For those who have not seen him I must try and tell what he is -like.</p> - -<p>Rising from the head of the peacock is a crest of feathers of the most -brilliant green and gold, while all its plumage is richly colored. But -its finest feature is its splendid train, a great circle of feathers -which rise above the tail and which it can lift into a glowing circle -of wonderful beauty.</p> - -<p>Of these feathers the middle ones are sometimes more than four feet -long. They grow shorter on each side till they form a complete fan. -All of these are spangled with eye-like richly-colored spots, so that -a peacock with its tail spread is one of the most brilliant objects in -nature.</p> - -<p>Well he knows how royal is his dress, and dearly he loves to show -himself to the plainly-dressed ladies of his flock, strutting about -with full spread<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> train and turning slowly round that they all may see -how lovely an object he is.</p> - -<p>Once each year this proud fellow loses his fine feathers, and at this -time he tries to keep out of sight, as if ashamed of his plain attire. -But they soon grow again and once more he comes forward to show himself -to the world.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_205"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_205.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Lippincott's Primer</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Peacock, the Most Gorgeous of Home Birds</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">This bird comes from India and Ceylon. There is another species in Java -which is said to be still finer in its display. We are told that "its -crest, head and neck are rich green, the breast bluish-green margined -with gold, the back bright copper-color barred with green and light -brown, and the upper tail coverts rich green with gold and copper-color -reflections." Nature seems to have done her best to lay splendor on -this royal son of the tropics.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span></p> - -<p>What else shall be said about this bird, aside from the beauty of its -colors? In its younger days this does not appear, the sexes being alike -in plumage when they are young. The male is three years old before its -days of show begin. The cry of the bird is a shrill sound like <i>Pao</i>, -and it also makes an odd noise by rattling its quills. It is given to -quarrels and keeps to itself at night, roosting high in the trees. Its -chief food is grain, though it also eats insects and worms, and if it -can get into a garden it is sure to make mischief before it is found -out.</p> - -<p>In the woods of India the peacock is said to be often seen in company -with the tiger, though why no one knows. It is not easy to learn in -what way these two can help each other or what tastes they have in -common. If the taste of the tiger is for the meat of the peacock, the -bird would be likely to keep out of its way.</p> - -<p>How long it has been since the peafowl was first tamed we cannot -tell, but the Bible speaks of it as being known in Palestine in King -Solomon's time. Alexander the Great seems to have brought it from India -to Greece and after that time it was well known in the west. The Greeks -and Romans called it the bird of Juno, and the rich Romans, who would -go to any expense to make a new dish for their tables, are said to have -eaten the tongues and brains of the peafowl. How many of the birds must -have been killed to serve for one foolish dinner!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> - -<p>In our days the eggs and young are said to make good eating, but the -birds are kept usually for their beauty alone, though their splendid -tails are used at times as an ornament.</p> - - -<h3>THE DOVE-LIKE PIGEON</h3> - -<p>Is there not something very soft and tender in the word dove and in the -loving ways of this fine bird? When we speak of the Turtle-dove there -rises in our mind an image of tenderness and love which never comes to -us when the Pigeon is named. Yet these two are the same. Pigeon and -dove are two names for one family of birds.</p> - -<p>Long ago the species known as the rock-pigeon was tamed, and this is -the one that lives with us in such numbers as one of our chief home -birds. The place we keep him in is often called the dove-cot, and in -this way the two names are still kept together. The wild rock-pigeon, -the ancestor of our tame pigeon, is also known as the ring-dove, so -that the term dove-cot fits very well.</p> - -<p>The pigeon is our one bird of the air. The other tenants of the poultry -yard have long given up the art of flying, except for a very short -distance, but the pigeon is a great flyer still and spends much of its -time on the wing. It is indeed one of the fastest of flyers and thinks -little of a journey of a hundred miles through the air. But it never -forgets its home and if taken away will wing its way straight back -again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span></p> - -<p>The pigeon has been a companion of man for ages past. It is spoken of -in the annals of Egypt at a date five thousand years ago and has been -at home in city and village ever since. With its wonderful power of -flight it seems strange that it does not leave us never to return, but -as it has nothing to escape from and much to come back to, the pigeon -can be trusted with the fullest liberty.</p> - -<p>It is, in truth, a trusty bird, gentle and lively in nature, fond -of society and faithful to its own. It loves its home, and tenderly -caresses its mate, with a graceful show of affection. Under its name of -the dove it has long been held as the emblem of peace and innocence, -and the phrase "billing and cooing," so often applied to lovers, is -taken from its love-making methods.</p> - -<p>In the old countries of Asia the pigeon was held to be a sacred bird. -In Greece it was the bird of Venus and was kept in great flocks around -the temples of this goddess. From Greece it spread to Rome and thence -to all Europe, and in time became the Christian symbol of immortal -life, the white dove being looked upon as the bearer of souls to -heaven. This idea still survives and less than two weeks ago I saw a -beautiful white pigeon set free over a grave and fly upward as one on a -heavenly errand.</p> - -<p>In the city of Venice the pigeon is a favorite bird that has won the -affection of the people.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> Clouds of them circle around the cupola of -St. Mark's church and the roof of the Doge's palace, and the man who -sought to catch or harm them would do so at peril of death from the -people.</p> - -<p>Birds build all sorts of nests, some good, some bad, some very bad. -Those of the wild pigeon belong among the very bad, and there is a -reason for this, if we can believe a story that is told about our -feathered friend.</p> - -<p>This story says that the father of all the pigeons tried his best to -make a good nest but kept making bad ones. In the end he asked the -magpie, who made fine nests, to show him how it was done. He agreed to -give the magpie a cow in return for a lesson. After watching the magpie -for a few minutes he said that he knew all he wanted to and would not -give the cow.</p> - -<p>A judge was called to settle this case, the verdict being that the -pigeon had broken his contract and could not claim any further lessons. -So ever since that time the pigeon has built the worst kind of nests.</p> - -<p>The pigeon nest-builder is here spoken of as "he," for it is the male -bird that builds the nest, the duty of the female being to supply the -eggs. And he also takes part in sitting on the two eggs with which the -female begins her brood. The young pigeon is a blind and helpless bird -when it comes from the egg. It is at first fed with a sort of broth -made in the crop of its parents, and all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> through its bird babyhood it -needs close care, both from its father and mother and from its owners.</p> - -<p>A dainty and pretty bird it grows to be, one that charms us by its -fine shape and its rich colors,—blue, gray, red, yellow, white or -brown,—also by its swift and graceful flight. It needs to trust to its -wings to escape its enemies, for neither its claws nor its beak are -made for fighting. But its eyes are sharp and its great swiftness saves -it from harm. So keen is its sight that it can see a morsel of food, -such as a pea or seed, at a long distance. A quick swoop, and it has -the food in its beak.</p> - -<p>Much might be said about the care of the dove-cot or pigeon-house, but -it is too long a story to be given here. We can only say that much -needs to be done in keeping the house clean and fit for its purpose -and in caring for the birds. Its diet is made up of peas, beans, corn, -oats, barley and potato, with hemp seed for a special delicacy, while -it picks up many other bits of food in its daily flights.</p> - -<p>It is wonderful how many kinds of tame pigeons have come from their -wild ancestor, the rock-pigeon. Of no other animal except the dog are -there so many and it is hard to believe that they all came from one -source. A few of them may be named, for the whole list is far too large -for our space.</p> - -<p>Among the various kinds may first be named<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> the Tumbler pigeon. This -bird flies to a great height, then sinks and soars in circles and -curves, turning somersaults in the air. All at once it drops down -in nearly a straight line; then stops short, hovers on its spread -wings, and flies upward to begin the play again. A flock of these -tumblers will keep in the air for hours at a time, enjoying themselves -and pleasing their friends below. Of these tumblers there are many -varieties, different in color, shape and size.</p> - -<p>A very odd kind of pigeon is the Pouter, in which the breast stands out -until it is like a great food chest, for the swelling is due to the -great size of the upper stomach. As a result the head is thrown back -almost out of sight behind this swollen chest. This gives the bird a -sulky, pouting air, from which comes its name of pouter.</p> - -<p>Of the other kinds we may speak of the Frilled pigeons, with the breast -feathers frizzed like a shirt frill; the Fan-tails, the tails of -which spread out in the fashion of those of the peacock; the Russian -Drum-pigeons, which do not coo, but make a sound like the roll of a -drum; the Capuchin, with a white hood and tail and a dark tuft on its -forehead; and the Lark, Magpie, Swallow, and Starling-necked pigeons, -all with something to suggest these titles.</p> - -<p>So far we have said nothing of the Carrier pigeon, for that claims a -place for itself. It is a bird of noble bearing, with no show of fine -feathers, since<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> it looks more like a wild than a tame bird, but with -a splendid power of flight, one which no other pigeon can match. Its -great value is that when taken to a long distance it has a wonderful -power of finding its way home. This makes it of much use as a messenger -bird, a kind of natural telegraph which was used centuries before any -other telegraph was thought of.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_212"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_212.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Pigeon Types. Carrier and Short Faced Tumbler</p> - </div> - -<p>No one knows how the carrier pigeon finds its way home. Most likely its -keen power of sight has much to do with this. When set free, it flies -upward into the air in widening circles to a great height, as if trying -to see something known to it in the far distance. In the end it darts -off in a straight line, which ends only when it has reached its mate in -the home dove-cot. Of course it needs to be trained to this by shorter -flights, but a well-trained pigeon will find its home when a hundred -miles or more away. The message is written on a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> piece of very thin, -light paper, tied under the bird's wing or to its leg.</p> - -<p>The history of the carrier pigeon goes far back in time. In the days -of ancient Greece winners in the public games sent word of their -victory to their friends by pigeon post. A real pigeon postal-system -was founded in the Arabian empire by the Sultan Noureddin, who died in -1174, and this was kept up until 1258, when Bagdad, the capital, was -taken and destroyed by the Mongols.</p> - -<p>In later years, during the wars of Napoleon, large gains are said to -have been made by the Rothschilds, the famous bankers, who received -news of great events by pigeon post and used those news for stock -buying and selling. The newspaper press has also made much use of -messenger pigeons. The greatest case of this was in 1870, when the city -of Paris was besieged by the German army and all the telegraph wires -were down. News was sent out from Paris, in microscopical writing so -fine that a single bird could carry thousands of messages at once. -Military pigeons are still trained for use in case any war should -arise. In the German city of Cologne there is a station with five or -six hundred pigeons, trained to fly to the fortified places of the -empire.</p> - - -<h3>THE OSTRICH AND ITS SPLENDID PLUMES</h3> - -<p>After our talk about the pigeon, with its swift powers of flight, we -now come to a bird which has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> no power of flight at all, yet which -is of much value to us from the splendid feathers of its wings. It -would take strong wings indeed to lift from the ground the ostrich, -the largest of all birds, standing six to eight feet high. But what it -lacks in wings it makes up in legs, for it is a wonderful runner, being -able to outrun the fastest horse. As it runs it spreads its wings, -which seem to act as sails.</p> - -<p>The ostrich has often been tamed and thus it may be classed with birds -of the home, though much too large for the poultry yard. It grows quite -friendly to those who have it in charge, but does not like strangers -and is apt to attack them in a violent manner. As these birds are -plentiful in the great Sahara desert, they were often kept by the -Romans and used in their public shows. They were also used as food, and -a glutton among the Roman emperors is said to have had the brains of a -large number of ostriches served up to him in a single dish.</p> - -<p>The people of Africa are very fond of ostrich eggs and travellers in -that land also speak well of them. Each egg weighs about three pounds, -so that one of them is equal to about two dozen hen's eggs. The egg is -cooked by being set on end in a fire and its contents stirred about -with a stick thrust into a hole in the upper end. The shell is so thick -and strong that it is used in Africa as a water vessel.</p> - -<p>It is not for its brain or its eggs that the ostrich<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> is kept in our -days, but for its fine plumes. These bring such high prices that the -birds are tamed and kept on what are called ostrich farms in order to -get a good supply of those rare feathers. The first farms were started -in South Africa in 1869, and they have since spread to other countries. -The birds need warm regions, the only states fitted for them in this -country being California and Florida.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_215"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_215.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">On a California Ostrich Farm</p> - </div> - -<p>The long, white, beautiful ostrich plumes so highly prized by ladies -all over the world grow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> in the ends of the wings of the male birds. A -good bird, in the prime of its life, will yield from twenty to forty of -these, and also a few black feathers from the wings. The tail feathers -are of much less beauty and value.</p> - -<p>In the early days of the industry the feathers were worth $500 a pound -and the plumes of one bird would sometimes bring $125. But they have -now become so plentiful that the price has gone down to less than -one-tenth of these figures.</p> - -<p>To pluck the feathers, the bird is put in a box of such small size -that it cannot kick. It does not enjoy the plucking, and a kick from -its great leg is enough to break a man's bones. We can understand its -feelings, for the feathers used to be cruelly pulled out by the roots. -Now they are cut, leaving the roots of the quills, which can be pulled -out easily in a month or two. As for the use and beauty of these superb -plumes we need only to view the hat of a lady which is adorned by one -or more of them. The whole bird kingdom yields nothing more beautiful.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_217" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_217.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">VI<br /> - -WINGED AND TUNEFUL HOME PETS</h2> - - -<p>If you look back over the earlier pages of this book, you will find -that it deals with animals in some way of use to man, creatures that -guard his houses, help him in his sports, serve him as food, carry him -on their backs, haul his carts and wagons, and in other ways help him -to live and thrive.</p> - -<p>But our home friends are not all of this useful kind. There are some -that we keep just because we like to have them with us, and make -friends of for their sweet songs, their beauty of form or color, and -the love they give us for the love we give them. These are the song -birds of the home, the pretty little winged warblers which we keep in -cages to save them from the prowling cat and to hinder them from flying -away, but which we do all we can to make happy and joyous, and which -pay us back in their own charming way.</p> - -<p>There are many of these cage-pets. The one that we see most of is the -canary, but there are many others for which we find room in our homes -and are as glad to keep as they seem glad to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> kept. Among these -birds of the cage and the aviary are the linnet and the bullfinch, -admired for their beauty of color; the mocking bird, with its wonderful -power of imitating the songs of all the feathered brood; the thrush, a -singer of fine powers; the finch, with its cheerful whistle, especially -the bullfinch, splendid in color and varied in song; the bunting, the -lark, the wagtail, and various others admired for beauty or sweetness -of song; and to these we must add the strange and amusing bird talkers, -such as the parrot, which has wonderful powers of learning words and -fitting them into the right place, a bird that fairly makes us jump at -times by the neat way in which it says the right thing at the right -time. Then there are the magpie, the jackdaw, and the starling, ready -talkers and good company for the lonely.</p> - - -<h3>THE CANARY AND ITS SONG</h3> - -<p>Of the home birds the gold-hued Canary comes first, as the chief -favorite among them all. From its native home on the Canary Islands it -has been taken to Europe and America and kept so long in cages that it -has quite forgotten its old-time liberty, so that a canary-bird escaped -from its cage is the most helpless creature in the feathered flock, and -is likely to become the prey of the cat if not captured and brought -back to its cage-home.</p> - -<p>The wild canary is not noted for its beauty and not greatly for its -song. It is found in large num<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span>bers in the Canary, Madeira, and Cape -Verde Islands, and is of a greenish-yellow color, with gray tail and -wings. It is the art of man which has made the home bird what it is -and has given it its color and its fine vocal powers. When the Canary -Islands were occupied by the Spaniard in 1478 these birds were taken in -large numbers to Spain, from which they spread over Europe, becoming -the pets of many a cottage and castle home. In many of the old pictures -we see their little forms, now perched in a corner, now sitting on a -lady's finger.</p> - -<p>The canary belongs to the family of finches, its place being between -the linnet and the goldfinch. In its native islands it dwells near -man, building its nest—of moss, feathers, hair, etc.—in thick, bushy -places. The hen-bird lays an egg every day until from four to six are -in the nest, on which she begins to sit. In thirteen days the young -birds appear and in thirteen more they are able to fly, but their -parents feed them for some time longer, on grass seeds or other plant -food.</p> - -<p>We must say that this bird enjoys cage-life, for it seems very happy -in its narrow home. It becomes quite tame and fearless, grows to love -its mistress, and sings with a freedom that speaks of a joyful heart. -In its wild state it is fond of bathing, and it is needful to give it a -frequent bath in its cage, if it is to be kept well and tuneful.</p> - -<p>The cage-canary is a home bird, unlike the bird<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> of the free air. It -has been made over by man and fitted for its new life. Early in its -cage career the country people around Innsbruck, in the Tyrol, became -active in raising these little vocalists, and from there they spread to -Germany and the Netherlands. To-day they are raised in large numbers -in the Hartz Mountain region of Germany, where great care is taken -in teaching them to sing. They are also raised and taught in other -countries.</p> - -<p>The canary is very ready to take on new songs and its trainer is -careful to keep it from falling into bad habits. If a bird happens to -hear a bad note it is apt to take it up and it is hard to break it of -the fault. So the good singers are kept where they cannot hear those of -poor voice, and a number of the finest singers are kept as models to -teach the young birds how to sing.</p> - -<p>Bird lovers have their tastes. Some like a loud song, with high notes -and long trills. Others prefer a soft, warbling, flute-like note, with -clear flourishes of song, and no one likes these to be broken by a -sharp "Chap-chap" or "tsi-tsi" or other vocal fault.</p> - -<p>It takes nearly a year for a canary to gain its education. In that time -it will learn several airs. Some of these may be forgotten, and then -the model songster is brought near so that they may be learned again. -It is said that some canaries have even been taught to speak a few -words.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sometimes a bird that has a shrill or too sharp note is kept in the -shade until this is corrected. And the canary often sings better in -the little cages of the dealers than in the large, fine cages of its -final home. Thus singing birds as well as singing people have their own -fancies.</p> - -<p>Rape and hemp seeds are the principal food of these birds. A little -flax-seed is also good for them, as it helps to fatten them. They are -fond of flowering groundsel and chickweed and a very small supply of -these is good for their health. They also have a sweet tooth and are -very fond of sugar.</p> - -<p>Shall we say something about the different breeds of canaries? There -are numbers of them and each country has its own. We can tell the -breeds apart by their shape and song. Thus the English canaries are -very tall, with a tuft or top-knot on the head. The French breed is -noted for its slender form. In Germany more heed is paid to song than -to shape. Holland was long known for a fine, strong race which is still -called the Dutch canary, though it is no longer to be found in that -country. In the United States shape and color are the points looked -after, birds of elegant form being preferred.</p> - -<p>The Belgian canaries have been called the "nobles" of the canary race. -They are large, with narrow, flattish head and very gentle eyes. The -neck is flexible, the head is carried straight forward and the back -and tail bend almost straight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> downward, this giving the bird an odd -appearance. Its little form and the way it carries its head, with the -mild look in its eyes, are notable points. The Scotch Fancy canary, now -common in England and the United States, is like the Belgian but has a -much flatter head.</p> - - -<h3>THE MARVELLOUS MOCKING BIRD</h3> - -<p>We have said much about the canary because it is far the most common of -cage-birds, but we have at home a bird of our own, not so often kept in -cages, but in its way one of the most marvellous of birds. This is the -Mocking-bird, a native American with so rich and tender a voice that in -the West Indies, where it is very common, it is called the nightingale. -This is due both to the melody of its song and its habit of singing at -night.</p> - -<p>It is not quiet in the day-time, but then shows its powers in a -different way. It is this that gives it the name of mocking bird, -for it has a wonderful power of taking up the songs of other birds, -imitating them so exactly as to cheat the ears of all that listen. -Now it takes up the song of one bird, now of another, and fills the -air with its fine mockery. By night, when other birds are apt to be -still, it keeps to its sweet native song, but by day takes delight -in its strange faculty of imitation. Not only does it repeat musical -tones, but also the harshest tones it hears, making of it all a strange -medley.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_223"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_223.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Mocking Bird. No other Bird has such Versatile Vocal Powers</p> - </div> - -<p>This is seen in a striking way when the mocking bird is caged. Then it -mocks the many sounds around it. It will bark like a dog, mew like a -cat, crow like a cock, cackle like a hen, creak like a wheelbarrow, and -take up a host of varied sounds. And while doing this it spreads its -wings, expands its tail, and throws itself about the cage as if it was -having the best time of its life. It can be easily taught to whistle a -tune of some length, but never seems to imitate the voice of man.</p> - -<p>It rarely, however, sings as well in the cage as in its free state. -The wild bird seems to like to be near man and often builds its nest -in a tree or bush close to a house. While the female bird is sitting -the male is very wide-awake and shows the greatest courage in driving -enemies away from the nest. In the brooding season they will often -gather<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> in flocks and fight off birds of prey of much larger size. A -snake that comes too near is killed by a quick series of blows on the -head, and the cat soon finds that it is best to keep away from the -mocking bird's nest.</p> - -<p>There is another bird of the same family that dwells much farther -north, being common as far north as Massachusetts. It has powers of -imitation like those of the mocking bird and a sweet song of its own, -but when disturbed gives vent to a sharp, mew-like cry from which it -has got the name of Cat-bird. Like the Mocking bird, it builds its nest -near man and makes no attempt to hide it, but fights off enemies with -a like boldness. No one thinks of caging this bird, for its cat-call -is not at all pleasant and has given it a bad name, but its song is -pleasing to our ears.</p> - - -<h3>OTHER CAGED SONGSTERS</h3> - -<p>The smaller birds are often so bright and beautiful and have such -musical voices, that many of them are made tenants of the cage. Here -they do not seem sad or mournful, but are likely to make themselves -much at home.</p> - -<p>There is the Bullfinch, a nervous, uneasy fellow, always in a flutter, -yet easy to keep in cage life and ready to raise a family in captivity. -These birds are at once beautiful and tuneful. In color they are as -handsome as many of the birds of the tropics, while they can be taught -a variety of bird<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> airs. They need to be coaxed, and their tutor must -use the same coaxing words and gestures and even wear the same coat -when he gives his bird its lessons. But a well-taught bird brings a -high price and it pays the poor folks of parts of Europe to spend much -time in teaching them.</p> - -<p>It takes time and trouble to teach a bullfinch to whistle a tune, but -it pays for the labor. A young bird must be taken from the nest before -it has begun to twitter and kept where it can hear no sounds except -those made by its teacher. In this way it fails to learn its native -tones and may be taught to do wonderful things, whistling a whole tune -as well as any boy could do it. I can prove this best by telling a -little story.</p> - -<p>There was a flute-player at a London theatre who had an ebony flute -with silver keys. But he did not often use it, for one of its upper -notes was not good. He lived with a tailor and the two were great -friends.</p> - -<p>One night, while he was at the theatre, some one stole his silver -flute. He could not think who had done it, except it was an old woman -who did the work of the house. But nothing could be found out and in -time the loss was forgotten. A few months later the tailor moved to a -town some miles away, but the two were still friends and at times paid -each other visits.</p> - -<p>Once, after a year had gone by, the flute-player went to see the -tailor, and was pleased to find that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> his friend had a splendid -bullfinch, which could whistle three tunes. But there was something -curious about these tunes. Whenever the bird came to a certain high -note it would skip this and go on to the next. The musician was quick -to notice that this missing note was the very one that was wanting in -his flute. He sharply questioned the tailor, who was forced to admit -that he had stolen the flute and had used it in teaching the bird its -tunes.</p> - -<p>There are many other birds that can be taught to whistle tunes. The -English blackbird is one of these. A writer tells us a pretty story of -this bird. He says:—</p> - -<p>"I once knew a bird that could whistle 'Polly Hopkins' with wonderful -accuracy. His owner sold him, at the same time making the purchaser -acquainted with the bird's favorite tune. As soon as the gentleman got -home he at once hung up the blackbird, and, going to the piano, struck -up 'Polly Hopkins.' But he introduced parts into the tune that the bird -had never heard before; so, after listening awhile, the little critic -began hissing, fluttering his wings and thus showing his distaste. -Much surprised, the gentleman left off playing, and then the blackbird -opened his throat and favored his new master with <i>his</i> version of -'Polly Hopkins,' nor would he ever listen with any patience to any -other version."</p> - -<p>I must also tell the story of the wood-chopper's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> ghost. Once there -was a lively wood-chopper who was always whistling and singing while -at work. But in spite of his jolly temper something went wrong and one -day he hung himself in his shop. Some days later other men at work in -the wood-shed were dreadfully scared by hearing the dead man's favorite -tune, "William at the Garden Gate," whistled in his old way. There was -a rush from the shop, which they thought haunted, and as the tune was -kept up day after day, no one would go near the place. Finally the -mystery was made clear. A thrush was seen to fly from a near by grove -to the roof of the wood-shed and pipe up the ghostly tune. It had -learned it from the wood-chopper's lips and came back every day to the -same spot to whistle the tune.</p> - -<p>The Skylark, a very common bird of Britain and Europe, is so famous for -the charm of its song that many of the poets have sung its praises in -rare verse. It does not, like many birds, sing when sitting, but pours -out its voice when on the wing and when far up in the sky. From this it -gets its name. From the upper air its sweet notes come tumbling down -in pearly music, "the notes nearly all alike and in the same key, but -rapid, swarming, prodigal, showering down as thick and fast as drops of -rain in a summer shower."</p> - -<p>This is a favorite cage-bird, one that lives many years in its narrow -home. It sings in the cage as sweetly as when in the air, pouring forth -its song<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> many times in an hour and for weeks and months together. It -is also a loving little pet and grows very fond of those who care for -it.</p> - -<p>Of course all of you have read of the Nightingale, the Bulbul of the -Persian poets, a bird whose very name seems to sing. This little -songster has for ages been famous for its loud, rich and varied tones, -its song being full of long, plaintive, quivering strains. Singing all -night long, when most of the birds are still, it has been a favorite -among bird lovers and poets in all lands, the Persian poets making the -loves of the bulbul and the rose a theme of many of their verses. Its -song has a mournful tone, but as it is sung to its mate in the nesting -season, the sadness in its voice must keep company with gladness in its -heart.</p> - -<p>The nightingale is often kept as a cage-bird, and if taken before the -nesting season soon grows to like its prison life, but if taken after -it has joined its mate it will pine away and die. It is best to take -it from the nest when young and bring it up by hand. In its wild state -its song ends with the end of the nesting season, but in the cage it is -kept up for a much longer time and is very pleasing.</p> - -<p>For an American nightingale we have the mocking-bird, a sweet night -singer which, as I have said, is given that name in the West Indies. -Another is a variety of the Grosbeak, called the Cardinal Bird from -its red color. This is called the Virginia Nightingale in England and -is one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> the finest American song-birds. Its loud, clear, sweet song -is heard chiefly in the mornings and evenings and the beauty of its -plumage adds to its attraction.</p> - -<p>The thrushes are also fine cage-birds, the black thrush having a lively -whistle and the art of taking up the songs of other birds. In this it -is far from equal to the mocking bird, but with care can be taught to -sing a number of bird airs.</p> - -<p>The Song-thrush or Mavis of England is well-known through Europe as a -singer of fine powers, one of the best of the songful train and a rival -of the nightingale in its power of song. Another of the same tribe is -the Missel-thrush, with a good voice but not the equal of that of the -Mavis.</p> - -<p>One of the sweetest of American bird singers is the Wood-thrush or -Hermit-thrush, not as a cage-bird but as a haunter of secret places, -from which its voice comes rich and full, sweet and placid, like the -notes of a flute sounded in the morning air.</p> - -<p>So far I have spoken only of the singing and whistling of birds, -but there are other things they can be taught. Many have seen trick -birds—the goldfinch, the canary, and other birds—that could do -wonderful feats. They have been taught to fire little cannons, to -pretend to be dead, to climb a ladder, to stand unmoved when fireworks -were set off, and many other things of strange kind.</p> - -<p>But if those who have seen these tricks knew how the birds were taught -they would never go<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> again to see them, for it is said to be done by -cruelty. But there are bird tricks in which no cruelty is needed. Thus -a bird may be taught to draw up water to his cage by means of a tiny -chain and pail, pulling at the chain with his beak and holding every -link drawn up with his feet. He may also be taught to ring for his -food. A little bell is hung in a corner of his cage and he is kept a -few hours without seed. Then, by a thread fastened to the bell, it is -rung and at once a few seeds are put in the bird's seed cup. The little -chap soon learns that he is fed when the bell rings and it will not be -long before he will pull the thread and ring the bell himself.</p> - - -<h3>THE PARROT AS A TALKER</h3> - -<p>Chief among the talking birds are the parrots. These quaint and curious -winged chatterers have long been kept in the home of man, for we have -tales of them more than two thousand years old. It was 1504 when the -first parrot reached England, but now they are to be seen in all parts -of the world, some kept for their brilliant colors, some for their -wonderful power of speech.</p> - -<p>Best known among them as a cage-bird is the Gray-parrot, the ablest -talker of the family, the amusing Poll-parrot seen in so many homes. -Though a cage is provided, they become such home-bodies as to be given -all the liberty they want, being often free to go about the house,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -though they look upon the cage as their special dwelling place.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_231"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_231.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The White Faced Parrot</p> - </div> - -<p>Poll-parrot has a great deal of human nature in his little body. He -thinks, he remembers, he imitates, he enjoys a joke, loves his friends -and hates his enemies, and when he learns words he often knows just -what they mean and when and how to use them. When our parrot says -"Polly wants a cracker!" it may not be a cracker that she expects but -it is something to eat, and she is apt to keep up the call until she -gets it.</p> - -<p>There is no end to the tales about parrots and their odd speeches, -often strangely fitted to the time and place. They can be taught to say -a great many things, and often know just how to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> bring them in. Here is -one told by Mr. Romanes, showing a parrot's wit in a tricky way no man -could surpass.</p> - -<p>"One day the cat and parrot had a quarrel. I think the cat had upset -polly's food, or something of the kind; however, they seemed all right -again. An hour or so after polly was standing on the edge of the table; -she called out in a tone of extreme affection,</p> - -<p>"'Puss, puss, come then—come then, pussy.'</p> - -<p>"Pussy went and looked up innocently enough. Polly with her beak seized -a basin of milk standing by and tipped the basin and all its contents -over the cat; then chuckled diabolically, of course broke the basin, -and half drowned the cat."</p> - -<p>Here is another story of parrot wit. The bird was making a variety of -squeals and cries. One of the men who heard began to imitate her. This -roused the parrot to try new cries, and at last she made one so odd -that he could not repeat it, try as he would.</p> - -<p>Proud of her triumph, the parrot gave a loud "Ha! ha! ha!" swung on her -perch with her head downward, sprang about the cage, tossed a piece of -wood over her head, and kept repeating the cry, followed by peals of -"Ha! ha! ha!" till everybody joined in her wild laugh.</p> - -<p>The parrot has a good memory and will pick up a good many words and -phrases, even the verses of a song taught to her. Many she gets by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -listening to words often said and at times will come out with a new bit -of apt language to the surprise of every one who hears it. If a word -she has once learned comes into her head, she often follows this word -with all the other words and sayings learned at the same time.</p> - -<p>Here is a parrot story going back as far as 1672, one which was much -talked of at the time. It is of an old parrot of Brazil when Prince -Maurice was governor there. The Prince was told of the strange talking -powers of this bird and sent for it. When it was brought into the room, -where were many men with the Prince, it began,</p> - -<p>"What a company of white men are here."</p> - -<p>"What is this man?" asked one, pointing to the Prince.</p> - -<p>"Some general or other," said the parrot.</p> - -<p>"Where did you come from?" asked the Prince.</p> - -<p>"From Marinnan."</p> - -<p>"To whom do you belong?"</p> - -<p>"To a Portuguese."</p> - -<p>"What do you do here?" asked the Prince.</p> - -<p>"I look after the chickens."</p> - -<p>"You look after the chickens," said the Prince, with a laugh.</p> - -<p>"Yes, and I know well enough how to do it," and the parrot began to -cluck like a hen calling chickens.</p> - -<p>It is hard to believe that a parrot could keep up a conversation in -this correct way, but the story<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> comes from Sir William Temple, who is -very good authority, and who was told it by the Prince himself.</p> - -<p>We are told of a French parrot which could laugh like a man, and would -break out into a hearty chuckle when some one said (of course in -French), "Laugh, parrot, laugh."</p> - -<p>The odd thing was that it would follow the laugh with the words,</p> - -<p>"Oh, what a fool to make me laugh!" and repeat this two or three times.</p> - -<p>A lady had a gray parrot four years old which was very quick in taking -up new words and very correct in using them. When he did some bit of -mischief his mistress would scold him, to which he would reply angrily,</p> - -<p>"Not a naughty Poll!" "Not a bold, bad bird!" and would stamp his foot, -crying "I am not—I am not."</p> - -<p>If she praised him he would tell her she was a darling and that he -loved her. He was jealous when children were present and were made much -of, and would cry,</p> - -<p>"Go away, bold boy!" "Go away, bold girl," never mistaking between boy -and girl.</p> - -<p>When a visitor took off coat or shawl the bird would act as if trying -to take off his wings, and laugh heartily at his performance if any one -else laughed. He would play with the cats till he was tired of them and -then whistle for the dog to chase them away.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_235"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_235.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Gray Parrot on His Perch. Waiting to Speak His Piece</p> - </div> - -<p>We might go on and on with parrot stories, for they are endless. Very -likely many of you could tell me as good ones as I can tell you. One -thing of note about these birds is their love of a joke. Here is a tale -of one of these jokers that loved to make fun of Carlo, the dog. Carlo -would be snoozing in a corner of the room when polly would cry out in a -voice exactly like his master's,</p> - -<p>"Hi, Carlo! Cats!"</p> - -<p>Up would jump the dog, rush into the garden, look fiercely round, then, -hearing a fresh cry of "Cats! Cats! Seize them, Carlo!" would bound -over the wall into the next garden. The next moment the bird, with a -wonderful change of tone, would call out in the master's sternest tones,</p> - -<p>"Come back, Carlo! Come back, you naughty dog!"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> - -<p>Back would come Carlo in a slinking way, as if expecting to feel his -master's cane.</p> - -<p>Another bird was fond of playing jokes of a different kind on the house -dog. It would whistle and call out in a soft tone,</p> - -<p>"Gyp, poor old Gyp! Does Gyp want to go out?"</p> - -<p>The dog, delighted at the prospect of a run with its master, would -begin to frisk and dance about, looking around to see where he was. -This got to be a common trick with the bird, for the dog never found -out that it was being tricked by the parrot.</p> - - -<h3>OTHER TALKING BIRDS</h3> - -<p>Many of my readers must know that there are other birds that can talk, -some of them as well as the parrot. Those who may have read the novel -of "Barnaby Rudge," by Charles Dickens, are likely to remember the -Raven of that story, with its "Never say die."</p> - -<p>A very famous bird of this kind is Poe's raven, told of in the poem of -that name, whose one word was "Nevermore."</p> - -<p>These are birds of fiction and poetry but there are talking ravens in -the annals of fact. There was one, some years ago, at home in a tavern -at Stoke Newington, England, who could not bear gray or white horses, -though it did not mind any other color. No sooner would a horse of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> -hated color come up to the water-trough for a drink than Peg would -perch on the edge of the trough and swear lustily at the poor animal. -Or else it would start it off with a loud "Gee, whoa," in the exact -tones of a carter.</p> - -<p>One day Peg saw a sailor take some tobacco from a box at his elbow, -put it in his mouth, and begin to chew. The bird watched him closely -and seemed to fancy that this must be something good to eat, for the -instant the man's back was turned she hopped up and took a mouthful of -the weed. For the rest of that day Peg was a very sick bird, and even -the next day was far from well.</p> - -<p>She had learned a lesson which she did not forget. Some days later a -white horse, drawing a hay cart, was driven up to the trough for a -drink. Peg at once hopped up and began her abuse, but the horse had -met the bird before and paid no attention to her impudence. At this -she flew into the house where some men were smoking, caught up a paper -of tobacco from the table, and flew back with it, dropping it into the -horse's nose bag.</p> - -<p>If a strange dog happened to stray up to the inn Peg was at once wide -awake. Up she would skip, and when close to the dog's ear would shout -in her loud, harsh voice, "Halloa, whose dog are you?" Before the cur -could turn she would break out in a great show of rage and loud cries -of "Hi! ho! go home!" which usually sent the intruder off up the street -at a frantic rate.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p> - -<p>The raven belongs to the family of the crows, in which are some other -birds, as the Jackdaw and the Magpie, that can be taught to speak. They -are not to be compared with the parrot, yet they must be classed with -the talking birds. The magpie has the tendency of picking up words -here and there of a sort not suited to polite society, and is not well -fitted for a house pet. He is quite ready to try his sharp beak on his -master and is like the crow in stealing every bright thing he sees.</p> - -<p>The Magpie has a cousin, the Jackdaw, who is not quite his equal as a -thief, but is not as honest as a parson. He also has the gift of speech -and at times can use it with fine effect. The bird is easily tamed and -taught to talk and there are some good stories told of him. One or two -of these you may enjoy reading.</p> - -<p>There is a small shell-fish called the cockle which is often pickled in -England, and in a house where the folks were fond of pickled cockles -was a jackdaw, who was quite as fond of them. The cook had pickled -some of these and put them in a jar, covering it with parchment. But -the next morning she found the cover partly ripped off and some of the -cockles missing.</p> - -<p>At a loss to know who had done this mischief, she tied on the cover -again and went about her work. At midday, when she was busy over the -stove, basting a roast joint, she heard a sound of tearing parchment -and looked round to see the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> jackdaw with his head hidden in the jar, -feasting away greedily.</p> - -<p>The cook at that moment had a ladle full of hot fat in her hand, and in -a rage threw it over the thief, crying out "You rogue! you go to the -cockles, do you!"</p> - -<p>All the feathers were scalded off of Jack's head and he went about the -house, bald and ashamed. Some days later his master gave a party, among -his guests being one who was quite bald. In the afternoon the bird was -brought up stairs to amuse the party, and he did so very neatly.</p> - -<p>Flying to the mantel, he saw the man with the bald head. At once he -flew to his shoulder, and cocking his eye at the bare poll in a funny -fashion, cried out, "You rogue! you go to the cockles, do you!"</p> - -<p>Another jackdaw belonged to a retired innkeeper, who, while in -business, had taught the bird to say, "Mind the reckoning," and also to -call out "No trust." His cage hung in the public room, where, no doubt, -he helped his master in making a fortune on which to retire.</p> - -<p>Long after he had gone out of business some burglars broke into the -house to rob him, getting in through the window of the room where the -jackdaw was kept. As the thieves talked in low tones about the job -before them and what part of the house they should visit first, the -words, "Mind the reckoning," came in loud tones to their guilty ears.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Good Lord!" cried one of the scared thieves, "I trust we——"</p> - -<p>"No trust! no trust!" came in the same hoarse voice, "Mind the -reckoning! Mind the reckoning!"</p> - -<p>Away went the scared thieves, through the window and over the garden -wall, leaving their tools behind them, while the daw roused the house -with its screams of delight over their flight.</p> - -<p>The fashion of stealing of the crow tribe makes a pet crow not very -safe to keep about. Any bright or shining thing, like a pair of -scissors, a silver spoon, or a gold stud, is sure to take his fancy and -when once in his beak the chance is that it will never be seen again, -for he is a cute chap at hiding his spoils.</p> - -<p>The crow indeed is a sharp fellow in more ways than one. He is an -expert at tricks. Here is one told of the Indian crow.</p> - -<p>A dog—a fox-terrier of good training—was one day gnawing a chicken -bone on the veranda when two crows saw him at his meal and lighted on -the veranda railing, where they began to croak. The very sight of a -crow is usually enough to make a dog forget his breakfast and fly at -the bird; but this time Jack merely growled and kept on gnawing.</p> - -<p>As this did not work, one of the birds dropped down to the veranda -floor and croaked again. Again Jack growled, but he went on gnawing.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> -The crow now strolled round the veranda for a minute till the dog was -intent on his bone, then hopped up and gave his tail a sharp nip.</p> - -<p>This was too much for the fox-terrier. With a howl of pain he turned -upon the bird, when the other crow, which had been quietly waiting its -chance, swooped down, snatched up the bone, and flew away, its comrade -in mischief quickly joining it.</p> - -<p>Jack's look of disgust, when he found how neatly he had been fooled by -a pair of crows, was a sight worth seeing.</p> - -<p>Have you ever seen a Starling and heard one talk? If not you have -missed a treat, for this bird has fine powers of speech. He can -whistle, croak and talk and is one of the choice delights of many a -cottage home in Europe. He has lately been imported into this country.</p> - -<p>The common starling is a very pretty creature, clad in brown, with -purple and green hues, and a buff-colored tip to each feather which -gives the bird a fine speckled appearance. In its wild state it has a -soft and sweet song, and in a cage is a pert and friendly house pet, -one that mocks the songs of others, learns to whistle tunes, and can -talk as clearly as many of its keepers. I must tell the story of a pair -of very cute and lively starlings, as it is told us by the gentleman in -whose house these birds were born and brought up.</p> - -<p>Dick and his wife lived in a large cage, with all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> the things needed to -make than enjoy life. Once a day the cage door was opened and they took -a bath on the kitchen floor, Dick first and his wife afterwards, for he -was a little household tyrant, cuffing his mate soundly when she tried -to be first in anything.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_242"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_242.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Starling. One of the Talking Birds</p> - </div> - -<p>Dick's first lesson was in imitating the rumble of carts in the street. -Of this he was very proud and soon learned to speak his own name, -always with the prefix "Pretty." He was always "Pretty Dick." As for -his wife, he gave her the strange name of "Hezekiah." How he learned -this no one knew, but he always used it.</p> - -<p>Thus if his wife tried to join him in a song, he would stop and call -out angrily, "Hezekiah! Hezekiah!" Then he would start again, and if -she forgot his scolding and joined in again he was apt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> to chase her -around the cage and give her a sound thrashing. At their meals Dick -showed the same spirit. His wife was not allowed to touch a morsel till -his lordship was done. If she dared to hop down and snatch a meal while -he was singing it was a sad time for her if he caught her at it.</p> - -<p>But though Dick was a tyrant to his wife, to those who cared for him he -was a loving little pet. He was very quick at learning new words, and -soon knew a large number, which he never grew tired of using. He grew -so tame that he was given full freedom of the house and garden, and -would spend hours in the grounds, catching flies, singing, and talking -to himself as if repeating his lessons. He and the cat and kittens were -the warmest friends, but he would play with the dogs also and often -went to sleep on their backs.</p> - -<p>"Doctor" was his name for his teacher, and if in singing an air he -forgot part of it he would cry "Doctor, doctor," and repeat the last -note once or twice, as if to say, "What comes next?" In this way -he learned to pipe the tunes of—<i>Duncan Grey</i> and <i>The Sprig of -Shillelah</i>, without a single wrong note. When a tune was played on -the fiddle, he would listen with close attention, and when it was -done would say "Bravo" in three distinct tones, thus: "Bravo! doctor; -br-r-ravo! bravo!"</p> - -<p>He got somehow into the fashion of starting a sentence with the verb -"Is," spoken loudly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Is?" he would say.</p> - -<p>"Is what, Dick?"</p> - -<p>"Is the darling starling a pretty pet?"</p> - -<p>"No doubt about that."</p> - -<p>He had the habit of combining his words in various ways, and one day -asked:</p> - -<p>"Is the darling doctor a rascal?"</p> - -<p>"Just as you think," was the reply.</p> - -<p>"Tse! tse! tse! Whew! whew! whew!" sang Dick, finishing with <i>Duncan -Grey</i> and part of <i>The Sprig of Shillelah</i>.</p> - -<p>He had been taught to say, "Love is the soul of a nate Irishman," but -was often heard to vary it in such ways as "Love is the soul of a nate -Irish starling," or "Is love the soul of a darling pretty Dick," and so -on.</p> - -<p>Here is a sample of a chat between Dick and his master.</p> - -<p>"Doctor," the bird would begin, "<i>is</i> it, <i>is</i> it a nate Irish pet?"</p> - -<p>"Silence and go to sleep. I want to write," said the doctor.</p> - -<p>"Eh?" Dick would say; "<i>What</i> is it? <i>What</i> d'ye say?"</p> - -<p>If no answer came the bird would break out:</p> - -<p>"<i>Is</i> it sugar,—snails—sugar, snails, and brandy?" Then, "Doctor, -doctor!"</p> - -<p>"Well, Dickie, what is it now?"</p> - -<p>"Doctor—whew." That meant the doctor was to whistle.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I shant."</p> - -<p>"Tse! tse! tse!" Dick would chirp, and then say, "Doctor, will you go a -clinking?"</p> - -<p>To Dick a fly was always a clink, and clinking meant fly-hunting. -Perched on his master's finger he would be carried around the room and -held up to every resting fly. He never missed one.</p> - -<p>As Dick grew older he became more of a tyrant to his wife. She could do -nothing to please him, he attacked her every morning and the last thing -at night and half-starved her besides.</p> - -<p>Sometimes she used to peck him back, driven to it by his ill temper, -and this led Dick's master to play him a trick. One day when Dick had -bullied her worse than ever, he took Hezekiah out of the cage and -fastened a small pin to her bill, the point sticking out a little.</p> - -<p>When she was put back Dick accused her of "going on shore without -leave," and pecked her so viciously that she gave him a sharp peck in -return. That Dick jumped when he felt the pin may well be said, and -his look was comical as he cried out, "Eh! <i>What</i> d'ye say? Hezekiah! -Hezekiah!"</p> - -<p>Hezekiah, pleased with her success, now chased him round and round the -cage, punishing him until the doctor opened the door and let the victim -out.</p> - -<p>But the bird could not spend her life with a pin tied to her bill, and -in the end, to stop the family<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> quarrels, the doctor gave her away to a -friend and Dick was left alone.</p> - -<p>For this strange story of a talking starling we are indebted to Robert -Cochrane, who gives it in his book "Four Hundred Animal Stories." -That any bird could talk with so much sense and reason seems hard to -believe, though the writer is good authority. Here is his wind up of -Dick's story:</p> - -<p>"Poor Dickie! One day he was shelling peas to himself in the garden, -when some boys startled him and he flew away. I suppose he lost himself -and could not find his way back. At all events I only saw him once -again. I was going down through an avenue of trees about a mile from -the house, when a voice in a tree above hailed me: 'Doctor! doctor! -What <i>is</i> it?' That was Dick; but a crow flew past and scared him -again, and away he flew—for ever."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_247" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_247.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">VII<br /> - -OUR COUSIN THE MONKEY</h2> - - -<p>The organ-grinder and his monkey are two animals well known to us all, -and we may have looked at them now and then and asked ourselves which -of the two had the best brain. The one spends his time turning a crank -and grinding out something that passes for music. His little brother -dances about on his nimble legs, holds out his hat for pennies, and -chatters away in a language of his own.</p> - -<p>We do not understand what he has to say; but neither do we understand -a Chinaman or a Frenchman. We say to ourselves that he has been taught -his tricks; but so has his master been taught how to use his music-box. -No doubt the master learns his art more quickly than the monkey, but -then he understands what is told him while his poor little comrade does -not, but has to be shown everything he is to do, so this gives the man -a great advantage.</p> - -<p>Now do not think that I am trying to say that the monkey has as good a -brain as the man. All I want to say is that he has a brain that acts -in the same way. But it gets to its upper level of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> thought before it -reaches what is a low level in man. The monkey can think as we can, and -often shows that he is thinking. So can many other animals, such as the -dog and the parrot; but while the monkey looks more like a man than -these animals, it also seems to think more like a man.</p> - -<p>Have you ever been to the zoo and seen a cage full of monkeys, or seen -a cage of them in a travelling menagerie? Lively, cunning, jolly little -fellows they are, playing tricks on one another, leaping and climbing, -never still for two minutes together, and the most curious of all -the animals we know. What does this curiosity mean? Does it not mean -that the monkey wants to know, just as we want to know when we show -curiosity? And wanting to know is the first step towards getting to -know.</p> - - -<h3>THE MONKEY AS A PET</h3> - -<p>Among the many pets kept by man the monkey must be included. We take -a fancy to it as if it were a far-off cousin of our own. With its -power of walking on its hind legs and using its front legs as arms and -its paws as hands, and also often in the shape of its face, it has -something very human about it, and there is no animal in which young -folks take more delight—and many older folks also.</p> - -<p>What many enjoy in it is its love of mischief. There is no trick that -it is not up to. At any rate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> when we hear of boys playing "monkey -tricks" they seem to us, in this way, on the same level as the monkey. -They would likely play more of them if they had the monkey's nimble -ways, for the monkey has the best of the boy in getting out of reach. -Many of them can even use their tails to swing on, leaving all their -legs free for acts of mischief.</p> - -<p>All this is very well in its way, but it stands in the way of keeping -the monkey as a pet, for it is apt in the end to become a nuisance. -No one knows what it is going to do next. It is as full of tricks as -a watermelon is of seeds. As we do not enjoy a boy who is too fond of -mischief, so we do not enjoy a monkey. He makes too much trouble. And -then he is of no use except as a pet. We can not often put him to work, -except in such ways as taking up pennies for an organ-grinder.</p> - -<p>It is said that some people in the South are talking of using the -monkey to pick cotton. This sounds very nice. No doubt the monkey -can be taught to pick cotton, as it has been taught to do many other -things. But it is not to be trusted. Any fancy, a bird flying over, a -mouse stealing through the cotton field, will be likely to draw it from -its task, and if any one tries to punish it for not keeping to its work -he cannot be sure but that the little rascal will have revenge in some -costly way.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span></p> - - -<h3>HOW MONKEYS TAKE REVENGE</h3> - -<p>Many stories might be told of monkeys that take revenge on those who -treat them badly. One or two of these may be worth telling. There is -one story of a gentleman who kept a pet monkey and lived next door to a -widow lady who had three boys, all fond of mischief.</p> - -<p>These boys were at home from school for the holidays and spent much -of their time in teasing the monkey, in such ways as throwing lighted -fire-crackers at him and giving him nuts filled with pepper and mustard.</p> - -<p>The little sufferer did not forget. When the boys set out on their -return to school the monkey watched them from a hiding place till they -were well out of the way. Then he crept slyly along the balcony till -he came to a window of the widow's house, looked in to see that there -was no one about, then went in, found a bottle of ink on the table, and -sprinkled the ink widely over the carpet and furniture. He was caught -at the trick, handed over to his master, and soundly whipped. But he -had his revenge for the nuts and crackers.</p> - -<p>Here is a tale of a jealous monkey. His master, who made a great pet of -him, belonged to a yacht club and used to take him along when out on -a cruise. Every one on board petted him and he felt that he was folks -like all the rest and a gentleman of importance.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> - -<p>But the time came when the monkey found his nose out of joint. This -time there was a pretty girl on board and the attention that had been -given to Master Pug was given to her. She said that she did not like -monkeys, so our little friend had to keep in the background, a thing -which he did not like at all.</p> - -<p>Master Pug waited his chance for revenge on the girl who did not like -monkeys. The party on the yacht went ashore to see some caves and he -managed to slip into the boat unseen and go with them. Keeping his -eye open for chances, he spied a large crab, which he picked up and -put against the young lady's heel. In an instant it gripped her with -its strong claw and she gave a loud scream of pain. The monkey got a -whipping, for some one had seen him in the act, but very likely he felt -that he had got even.</p> - -<p>Monkeys do not forget easily and will often bear malice for a long -time. A lady named Mrs. Lee, when at the zoölogical garden in Paris, -saw a big ape in a cage ill treating one of his fellows. To stop him -she tapped him smartly on the hands. This the savage creature did not -forget nor forgive. Whenever he saw her at later times in the monkey -house, or even heard her voice, he would fly into a passion, roll about -his cage in rage, and once when she came within reach he seized her -gown through the bars of his cage and tore out a piece of it, though it -was of strong material.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span></p> - -<p>Shall we tell the story of one that acted in a cruel manner? He was -kept tied to a stake in the grounds and the crows of the neighborhood -often robbed him of his food. He got the best of the robbers in a way -very artful, even for a monkey.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_252"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_252.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Feeding Monkeys at the Zoölogical Garden</p> - </div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span></p> - -<p>One day he lay on the ground quite still, as if he was dead. The birds -came near and picked at his food but the cunning little rascal never -stirred. Growing bolder, the crows approached until one of them was -within reach. In an instant the monkey made a quick grab and caught -the culprit. Holding his prisoner firmly, he pulled out its feathers -until not one was left in its naked body. Then he flung it towards its -companions, who were screaming with rage and fear. At once, for reasons -best known to the crow community, they made a fierce attack on their -featherless comrade and pecked it to death. Those who saw this affair -say that the delight on the monkey's face, as he saw this, was too -great to be described.</p> - - -<h3>IMITATION A MONKEY TRAIT</h3> - -<p>The monkey is an animal easy to teach, for it is very ready to do what -it sees those around it do. It thus has two qualities very useful in -teaching, curiosity and imitation. When it sees anything being done -it is apt to watch closely and then try to do the same thing. These -qualities we all have. Many of us are curious to see and prompt to do -what our teacher does, and in this way the monkey is like man in his -thinking powers. It does not wait to be told to do things, but will try -to do them itself. This faculty has led to some comical results, as you -will think when you read the following stories.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span></p> - -<p>We are told of a retired admiral and his wife who had a monkey as one -of their home pets. The admiral had a habit of reading the paper aloud -to his wife and would strike it in a testy way when he read something -that made him angry. One day his wife, hearing a strange noise in the -dining-room, looked in to see what caused it. What she saw was very -amusing.</p> - -<p>In the arm chair sat master monkey, with the admiral's smoking-cap on -his head and the admiral's spectacles on his nose. In his hand was an -open newspaper, and this he shook and patted, just as he had seen his -master do, jabbering away in a very funny manner to the cat that lay -blinking on the hearth. So close was the imitation to the tone and -manner of the testy old sea-dog that the lady broke up the performance -with a shout of laughter.</p> - -<p>A Mrs. Loudan tells us of a case of the same kind, but with a different -audience from the cat. It is told of Father Casaubon, a priest, who had -a favorite Barbary ape that grew very fond of him and tried to follow -him wherever he went. One day, when he set out for church, the ape in -some way got loose and followed him unseen. When the church was reached -the ape slipped in and climbed up to the sounding-board, where he lay -quiet till the sermon began.</p> - -<p>While the reverend father spoke, the ape perched itself just above his -head and watched his actions,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> and soon began to imitate the gestures -made by him. The congregation could not help smiling and tittering at -this. Casaubon scolded them severely for their behavior, suiting his -actions to his words, while the monkey imitated all his movements in a -very amusing manner.</p> - -<p>At this the congregation could not keep still, but broke into a roar of -laughter, in which the angry priest joined when its cause was pointed -out to him. He took good care that his ape should not attend church -again.</p> - -<p>These are perhaps enough of this sort of stories, though there are one -or two others which you may care to read. One is of a painter who, on -going into his studio, saw his pet monkey seated before his nearly -finished picture, with brush and painting implements in hand, laying -on the colors with a free touch that made bad work of the artist's -masterpiece.</p> - -<p>A second has to do with an English vicar and his family, who came home -to dinner one Sunday after the morning service. On entering the dining -room they saw the table-cloth, which had been laid for dinner, spread -out smoothly on the floor, with all the plates and dishes, knives and -forks, laid upon it in a way that showed how well the lesson had been -learned. Beside it sat the pet monkey, with a look of satisfaction that -showed it was very proud of its work.</p> - -<p>A monkey, in fact, knows very well when it has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> done a thing as it -should be done, and likes to be praised for it. I cannot say that they -always get praise, certainly not for jobs like those just told, in -which the element of mischief is mixed with that of good work.</p> - -<p>But when we talk of the intelligence of animals we must admit that the -monkey goes ahead of the dog, cat, or other household pet. Certainly -none of these would think of a piece of work like that, laying the -table-cloth on the floor and properly placing on it all the table ware.</p> - -<p>Many monkeys have such a grave and quiet way of doing things, and look -at us with such bright and meaning eyes, that we are brought to think -that if they could talk they would have something to say worth hearing. -In fact, there are people who think they could talk if they chose. -There is the story of the Southern slaves who thought they showed their -wit in not talking, since if they did they would have a hoe put in -their hands and be set at hoeing.</p> - -<p>A traveller, writing about Java, tells us something of the same sort. -He speaks of a sultan who had a well trained corps of monkeys and -apes. "The orang-outangs and long-armed apes," he says, "had been -trained to go through a variety of military exercises; and when one of -us expressed surprise at their seeming intelligence the Sultan said -gravely: 'They are as really <i>men</i> as you and I, and have the power of -speech if they chose to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> use it. They do not talk because they do not -wish to work and be made slaves of.'"</p> - -<p>The Malays in all the islands believe this and in their language -orang-outang means "man of the woods."</p> - -<p>Certainly monkeys can be trained to act very much like men. Mrs. Lee -tells us of one that has been taught by a Frenchman to act in a very -polite fashion. One day she met this monkey as he was on his way up -stairs. He made way for her very politely and stood on one side to let -her pass.</p> - -<p>"Good morning," she said, and he took off his cap and made a low bow. -"Are you going away? Where is your passport?"</p> - -<p>At this question he took a square piece of paper out of his cap and -showed it to her.</p> - -<p>His master, who was following Mrs. Lee, now told him that the lady's -dress was dusty. He at once went to the man, took a brush out of his -pocket, and raising the hem of Mrs. Lee's dress, brushed it and did the -same with her shoes.</p> - -<p>But while monkeys can be trained to do some surprising things, they are -not all alike. Some can be taught easily and some not at all. Darwin -tells us of a man whose work it was to train monkeys to act, and who -bought them from the Zoölogical Society for twenty dollars apiece. He -offered double the price if he might keep them for three or four days -so as to pick out a good one.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span></p> - -<p>When asked how he could tell this in so short a time he said that what -he wanted was a monkey that would pay attention. If when he was talking -to one he could not keep its attention, but it turned aside to look at -a fly on the wall or other trifle, it was of no use. To force such a -monkey to act by whipping would only make it sulky. But a monkey that -gave him close attention when he was talking or showing it something -could always be trained.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_258"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_258.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Pair of Midget Donkeys Driven by a Baboon and Groomed -by a Monkey</p> - </div> - -<p>Any one who pays attention can be taught, whether boy, monkey, or dog. -As long ago as 1753 this was shown in London in the case of the monkey -and the dog. In that year everybody in London was going to see and was -talking about "Mrs. Midnight's Animal Comedians." This was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> a troupe of -trained dogs and monkeys who were taught to dance a ballet, dressed as -ladies and gentlemen. This they did very neatly and cleverly.</p> - -<p>But their great act was when, dressed as soldiers, they took part in a -mock battle. A fort was built on the stage which was defended by the -monkeys and attacked by the dogs. Everything was done as in regular -battle. The dogs carried ladders and tried to climb them and capture -the fort. The monkeys, armed with muskets, fired on them and the air -was full of smoke and the smell of powder.</p> - -<p>After a hard fight the dogs took the fort. Then the monkeys dropped -their muskets, the smoke cleared away, and both parties were seen drawn -up side by side, waving their hats, while the band played "God save the -king."</p> - - -<h3>THE KINDS OF MONKEYS</h3> - -<p>The stories we have given about monkeys are only a few of the many that -might be told, and it is well to give some more to show that monkeys -think and act, up to a certain limit, very much as we do ourselves.</p> - -<p>But you must bear in mind that there are many kinds of monkeys, some -with good and some with bad tempers and some with much better brains -than others. When we talk of the house dog and cat, the horse and -cow, it must be remembered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> that each of these is a single species -of animal. But when we talk of the monkey we have to do with a whole -family of animals, of a great many different species.</p> - -<p>Thus there are New World monkeys and Old World monkeys which differ so -that we can always tell them apart. One curious thing about the New -World monkeys is that they all live in trees and have long tails, which -they can use in such a way that they seem to have five legs. They twist -their tails firmly around the limbs of trees and swing about, leaving -their legs, or arms, free to help them in other ways. There is nothing -like this in the Old World monkeys. Some of these have no tails. Others -have long tails, but none of them have learned how to use these as -ropes to swing on from tree limbs.</p> - -<p>All monkeys have thinking powers, which they show in various ways, but -the best thinkers among them are those known as man-like monkeys. This -is the meaning of the name we give them, that of Anthropoid Apes. They -are the highest members of the monkey family, and are like men in a -good many ways. They have no tails, are of large size, and can stand -and walk upright if they want to—though they do not often want to.</p> - -<p>Their arms are longer and their legs shorter than ours are, and they -live much in trees, where they have to use both feet and hands in -getting about. So, when they come down to the ground they also<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> use -their arms to help them get about. They do not walk on four legs in the -way of most other animals, nor on two legs in the way of men, but move -in a jumping fashion, putting their hands to the ground and jumping -through them. This looks like an awkward way of travelling, but they -can get over the ground pretty fast, for all that.</p> - -<p>A fact of much interest is that the bones, the muscles, and the -blood-vessels of these animals are exactly like those of man, except in -size. And the same may be said of their brains. These are smaller than -a man's brain, but they are very much like it in all other ways. The -weak point of these brains lies in their small size. They seem to think -in the same way as we do, but they come to the end of their thinking -powers when we are just past the beginning.</p> - -<p>There are four different kinds of man-like apes, known as the Gorilla, -the Orang Outang, the Chimpanzee, and the Gibbon. Of these the first -two are large animals, the gorilla being larger and stronger than a -man. It is a savage brute, too wild and fierce to be tamed, but this -is not the case with the orang, which can easily be tamed and is very -teachable.</p> - -<p>These two are solitary creatures, living by themselves, but the -chimpanzee, which is smaller, is very fond of company, and lives with -its fellows in the woods, leaping about among the trees in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> very -sportive fashion. The gibbons are much smaller than the others, but -have very long arms. When they stand erect their hands nearly reach the -ground and they may be seen at times walking in the same way as we do, -but holding their arms above their heads. If disturbed in any way down -come their arms and they run away in the same manner as the other apes.</p> - -<p>The gibbons are gentle and easily tamed and have often been kept -as pets. They are less intelligent than the others, and it is the -chimpanzee and the orang which can best be taught man's ways when kept -as man's companions. Many tales could be told of the smart doings of -those tamed apes and it will be well to give a few of them.</p> - -<p>Buffon, a famous French naturalist, tells us of a tame chimpanzee which -always walked on its hind-legs, even when it had a heavy weight to -carry. The chimpanzee does not do this in the woods, but this one was -in company with man and learned to walk in the same way as man. Buffon -goes on to say:</p> - -<p>"I have seen this animal present its hand to conduct the company to the -door or walk about with them through the room; I have seen it sit at -table, unfold its napkin, wipe its lips, make use of a spoon or fork -to carry its victuals to its mouth, pour out its drink into a glass, -touch glasses when invited, go for its cup and saucer, carry them to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> -the table, pour out its tea, sweeten and leave it to cool, and all this -without any other instigation than the signs or commands of its keeper -and sometimes even of its own accord. It was gentle and inoffensive; it -even approached you with a kind of respect and as if only seeking for -caresses."</p> - -<p>Captain Brown, the writer of a book on the habits of animals, tells us -this interesting story of a trained chimpanzee:</p> - -<p>"Madame Grandpré saw on board a vessel a female chimpanzee which showed -wonderful proofs of intelligence. She had learned to heat the oven; she -took great care not to let any of the coals fall out, which might have -done mischief in the ship; and she was very accurate in observing when -the oven was heated to the proper degree, of which she apprised the -baker. With perfect confidence in her information, he carried his dough -to the oven as soon as the chimpanzee came to fetch him.</p> - -<p>"The animal performed all the duties of a sailor, spliced ropes, -handled the sails, and assisted at unfurling them, and she was, in -fact, looked upon by the sailors as one of themselves."</p> - -<p>In the end of her life this animal showed what seemed a human feeling -and sense of injustice. The first mate beat her cruelly for something -in which she was not in fault and the ill-treatment seemed to break her -tender heart. She bore the blows with patience, merely holding up her -hands as if praying for mercy, but from that moment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> she refused to -take any food and on the fifth day she died from grief and hunger. The -sailors would have liked, if they dared, to treat the mate in the same -way he had treated the monkey.</p> - - -<h3>WHAT MONKEYS TEACH THEMSELVES</h3> - -<p>It may be said that much of what has been told is the result of -training and only shows that the monkey is easily taught. It does -things, it is true, which no dog could be taught to do, but it has the -advantage of having fingers and thumbs in place of the dog's paws, and -also of having learned how to use these in its forest life in much the -same way as we use them. A monkey, for instance, can use a stone as a -hammer and some of them can throw stones with a very good aim. They can -use other tools, as we shall show.</p> - -<p>But there is one great difference between the monkeys and the other -animals we have spoken of. Many of these can be taught to do things -we would not expect of them, but they do not often teach themselves. -Now the monkey does not wait to be taught but is constantly trying -new tricks and working them out for itself. It is the most curious of -animals, always wanting to know how things should be done, and thinking -out for itself the right way to do them. We look with wonder on a dog -when it does something that it has been taught. Should we not look with -more wonder on the monkey when it does things which it has taught<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> -itself? I am sure you will enjoy reading some stories in this line.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_265"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_265.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museums</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Orang Outang in the Hands of His Keeper</p> - </div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span></p> - -<p class="p2">Here is one of a tame orang outang told by the French scientist Cuvier. -This animal, he says, when it wanted to open the door of a room, used -to draw a chair from one end of the room to the other, and stand on it -to lift the latch. Another writer speaks of a monkey which, when it -wanted to lift the lid of a chest too heavy for it, used a stick as a -lever to raise it. That monkeys use stones to break open oyster-shells -has often been seen.</p> - -<p>Mr. Romanes tells the following story. A large monkey was kept in a -wide cage, in the centre of which was a kind of hut in which he slept. -Near this hut was an artificial tree, with a branch leading away from -the hut. If he wanted to get on this branch he could do so by climbing -to the top edge of the hut door. But this door had a bad fashion of -swinging shut whenever he pushed it open to climb up. He was seen to -try this two or three times, and then to pick up a thick blanket which -lay in his cage and throw it over the top of the door so that it could -not swing to.</p> - -<p>In all these cases the animal thought out for itself the best way of -gaining its end. These things were done by chimpanzees and orangs, apes -of high class, but Mr. Romanes, in his book on "Animal Intelligence," -tells of quite as strange things done by a South American monkey of -which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> such doings could not be expected. This he kept as a pet and -watched for many days.</p> - -<p>One thing his monkey never liked; that was to be laughed at; any one -that did so would be apt to be repaid for his mirth. Mr. Romanes gave -him a hammer to break his nuts with, and from the start he knew just -how to use it.</p> - -<p>"To-day," says Romanes, "a strange person (a dressmaker) came into the -room where he is tied up and I gave him a walnut that she might see him -break it with his hammer. The nut was a bad one and the woman laughed -at his disappointed face. He then became very angry and threw at her -everything he could lay hands on; first the nut, then the hammer, then -a coffee pot which he seized out of the grate, and lastly all his own -shawls. He throws things with great precision by holding them in both -hands, and extending his long arms well back over his head before -projecting the missile, standing erect the while."</p> - -<p>Every day this little fellow did something new and unlooked for, -something worked out in his own little brain. When a nut or anything -he wanted lay too far away for him to reach it, he being fastened by -a chain, he would try to draw it to him with a stick. If he failed in -this, he would take his shawl by the two corners, throwing it back over -his head and then flinging it forward with all his strength, but not -letting go the corners. If it reached far enough to cover the nut, he -would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> draw this in by pulling back the shawl. This is like the story -of the elephant that used its trunk to make a wind beyond anything out -of its reach, and thus blow it back.</p> - -<p>His chain was a constant trouble to him and he tried in every way he -could to get rid of it. When it was tied to a ring sunk into the floor, -he spent a whole day passing the chain back and forward through the -ring, and hammering it with all his strength. He went at it again the -next day and this time got the chain so tangled up that he could not -loosen it. When his master came to his aid he watched him very closely, -sometimes taking hold of his fingers and pulling them to one side that -he might see better. He would also look up into his master's face in -an intelligent way as if to ask him how he did it. After the chain was -loosened he worked at it again for hours, but took care not to twist it -into the ring a second time.</p> - -<p>Among the many things done by this comical little creature there were -two which showed so much monkey wisdom as to be worth telling. His nuts -were kept in a trunk which he looked upon as his own property. There -were other things kept in the trunk, but if any person opened it to get -anything out he grew very angry. It was not on account of the nuts, for -he always had plenty of these, but for meddling with his property.</p> - -<p>One day, when his chain was broken, he got to the trunk and began -picking at the lock with his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> fingers. His master then gave him the key -and for two full hours he tried to unlock the trunk. It was a hard lock -to open, being a little out of order, but he found the right way to put -the key in and turn it in the lock, every time trying the lid to see if -it would come up. Of course, he had seen others use the key and knew -how it should be used.</p> - -<p>The most remarkable thing done by our smart little friend was the -following: One day he got hold of a hearth-brush, one of the kind -which has the handle screwed into the brush. In his usual fondness for -experiment he at once began on the handle, and soon had it unscrewed -and out of the brush. Then he began to try and find the way to screw it -in again.</p> - -<p>At first he put the wrong end of the handle into the hole and turned -it round and round, always the <i>right way for screwing</i>. Then he tried -the other end, still always turning only the right way. How he knew the -way the screw should turn is a mystery. The work was a hard one, for he -had to use both hands on the handle, and the brush, with its bristles, -would not lie still. Next he tried holding it with his foot, and even -then it was not easy to get the first turn of the screw to take hold. -When this was done he turned the handle round and round until it was -fully screwed in.</p> - -<p>The strange thing was that, in all his efforts, he never tried to turn -the handle the wrong way; he always screwed from right to left. The -work<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> done, he unscrewed it and screwed it in again, this time more -easily. He kept on until he could do it without trouble and then threw -it aside for some other amusement.</p> - -<p>Here is a case where the animal tried for himself a thing he had never -seen done, not for anything to be gained, but simply to find out how -to do it. He knew somehow the right from the wrong way, and when he -had finished he had no further use for the brush. He had learned that -lesson, solved that riddle, and was ready to try something else.</p> - - -<h3>ANECDOTES OF THE APE</h3> - -<p>While men like to have the monkey for a pet, the monkey imitates them -by having pets of its own. It has a fancy for this and likes to have -something or some animal under its care. It may be a doll, a guinea -pig, a white rat, or anything to which it takes a fancy. This was the -case with a monkey we are told of, which was very fond of nursing.</p> - -<p>His fancy in this way brought him to a sad end. Seeing a litter of -young pigs, he grew eager to have one of these for a pet. Watching -till the mother pig was at the other end of the pen he popped down and -seized one of the little grunters. With his prize he leaped to the door -of the pig-stye, but it gave way under his weight and he fell back into -the jaws of the furious sow, who with one crunch put an end to the -pet-lover's career.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span></p> - -<p>Here is another story told by the same party: "A female baboon which -I brought up in my family got hold of a kitten with the intention of -making a pet of it and mothering it, but was scratched by the scared -fondling. The monkey then made a close study of the kitten's paws, -pressed the claws forward, looked at them from above, from beneath, -and from the side, and then bit them off to save itself from further -scratches."</p> - -<p>This love of pets on one occasion led to a serious scene. It was in the -case of a large baboon kept on a ship on which was a lady passenger -with a baby. Not noticing that the baboon had its eye on the little -one, the mother laid it down on a bench to look at something which the -captain wanted to show her.</p> - -<p>In a moment the big monkey had the child in its arms and was running -for the rigging, hastened by the mother's scream on seeing the fate of -her little one.</p> - -<p>Clasping the baby with one arm, the nimble creature ran up to the mast -head with the aid of the other, and when the sailors started after it -ran to the head of the top mast. By this time the poor mother was being -carried to the cabin in a dead faint.</p> - -<p>What to do the captain did not know. He called the sailors down, -fearing that if they chased the brute it might throw the child into the -sea. But when it saw that they had given up the pur<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span>suit it set itself -to quiet the screaming child, fondling and talking to it in a very -motherly way.</p> - -<p>The baby by this time was in a terrible state, and the captain, at his -wits' end, at length ordered everybody on deck to go below, thinking -the monkey might come down if the coast were clear. The plan proved a -good one. On seeing that there was no one on deck, the animal descended -with its prize and laid it on the bench from which it had been taken. -It was soon in its mother's arms and the pet-loving baboon found itself -locked up as a punishment for its trick.</p> - -<p>Monkeys are often kept on ship board and they are not to be trusted if -there is anything they can steal. There were two of them on a British -naval ship in the West Indies, a big and a little one, both great -favorites. Dressed in uniform, they would march up and down the deck, -salute the captain, and imitate the movements of the officer of the -watch. But both were thieves, the big one stealing, the little one -hiding, and they needed watching.</p> - -<p>One day the captain's gold snuff-box was missing. It was known that the -monkeys had stolen it, for both of them were taken with a severe fit -of sneezing. But no one could find it, until the little one was seen -peeping into a middy's chest. Searching this, the box was found below -the clothing.</p> - -<p>Another theft was made while the ship was at anchor in Kingston harbor, -Jamaica. This time it was a bottle of wine, which the big one emptied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> -without leaving a drop for his pal, who sat and looked at him as if he -had been very badly treated.</p> - -<p>In a few minutes the big thief was reeling about the deck very drunk. -He jumped on the bulwarks, and seeing a shark swimming around the ship -began a great jabbering and at last jumped overboard, perhaps with some -idea of making a pet of the big fish. One snap of the huge jaws and the -drunken monkey was no more.</p> - -<p>The little one saw this with screams of agony. He could not be consoled -for the loss of his mate, and the next day he, too, jumped overboard -and was soon in the same place as his dead friend.</p> - - -<h3>FEELING AND FRIENDLINESS IN THE MONKEY</h3> - -<p>What has been said above goes to show that the monkey can think and -that it comes next to man in doing its own thinking. It goes to school, -no doubt, as boys and girls go to school, but it teaches itself also, -as may be seen in the story of the monkey and the brush-handle. But the -monkey can not only think, it can also feel, and when we tell of some -of its shows of feeling it almost seems as if we were talking about -people like ourselves.</p> - -<p>Here is a story that has been often told, but is worth telling again. -A man in India had shot a female monkey and carried it to his tent. -A crowd of friends of the dead animal, forty or fifty of them, soon -gathered round the tent, making<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> a great noise and acting as if they -were about to make an attack on the sportsman. Only when he came out -gun in hand did they run away, as if they well knew the powers of that -dreadful weapon.</p> - -<p>But the leader of the band stood his ground, chattering away in monkey -language. When he found that his fury and his threats did no good, he -came to the tent door and began to moan in a sorrowful manner and to -make signs as if to beg for the dead body. When it was given to him he -took it in his arms and carried it away to his waiting friends. All -those who saw this sad scene vowed that they would never again fire at -one of the monkey race.</p> - -<p>This interesting story is only one among many. One of them has to -do with an instance where the horses of a party of travellers were -frightened by monkeys in the trees, some of the horses breaking loose. -To stop this one of the party fired at the monkeys with a load of small -shot to drive them away. One of the monkeys ran down to the lowest -branch of the tree, then stopped, put his paw to the part wounded, and -held it out covered with blood for the man to see. The sportsman says: -"I was so much hurt at the time that it left an impression never to be -effaced and I have never since fired a gun at any of the tribe."</p> - -<p>A few minutes later a native came in and said that the monkey was dead. -They told him to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> bring it in, but when he went back he found that the -other monkeys had carried off their dead comrade and none of them were -to be seen.</p> - -<p>Here is a case of the same kind, told by Sir William Hoste, an officer -in India. It is of a still more affecting kind. We give it as told by a -Mr. Jesse.</p> - -<p>"One of his officers, coming home after a long day's shooting, saw a -female monkey running along the rocks, with her young one in her arms. -He immediately fired and the animal fell. On his coming up, she grasped -her little one close to her breast, and with her other hand pointed -to the wound which the ball had made, and which had entered above -her breast. Dipping her finger in the blood, and then holding it up, -she seemed to reproach him with being the cause of her death, and in -consequence that of the young one, to which she frequently pointed."</p> - -<p>When Sir William was told this affecting story he, as in the other -cases cited, resolved never to shoot one of these animals as long as he -lived.</p> - -<p>Is not all this very human-like? The poor things, knowing that men are -stronger than they and carry death-dealing weapons, do all they can to -make them sorry for their cruelty and accuse them of murder. If they -could talk they could not say more than these monkeys did in dumb show.</p> - -<p>Monkeys are very fond of and tender to their young. One writer saw an -American monkey driving away the flies that troubled her infant,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> and -another saw a mother monkey washing the faces of her young ones in a -stream. When their young die the mothers are very apt to die of grief. -This we are told by Darwin, who further says: "Orphan monkeys are -always adopted and carefully guarded by the other monkeys, both male -and female."</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_276"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_276.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">An afternoon chat. Observe the close attention of the -monkey and its care of its young</p> - </div> - -<p>They also take care of those that are hurt. One writer tells us that he -kept a number of Gibbons in his garden, living in the trees and coming -down to be fed. One of them fell from a tree and sadly hurt its wrist. -The others at once paid it great attention, and an old female, who was -no relation to the crippled animal, fed it every day before eating any -food herself. The writer goes on to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> say: "I have frequently noticed -that a cry of fright, pain, or distress from one would bring all the -others at once to the complainer, and they would then condole with him -and fold him in their arms."</p> - -<p>Captain Hugh Crow, in his "Narrative of my Life," tells a story of this -kind which goes to show how tender the monkeys are to one another. On -board his ship were a number of monkeys, of different kinds and sizes, -among them a beautiful little one, only about ten inches long and no -larger in body than a common drinking glass.</p> - -<p>It was a playful little thing and a great favorite with the other -monkeys, who looked on it as the pet of the family, treating it with a -kindly feeling which they did not often show for one another. It became -sick at length, of a disease that prevailed in the ship, and then their -kindness and tenderness were doubled. He says:</p> - -<p>"It was truly affecting and interesting to see with what anxiety and -tenderness they tended and nursed the little creature. A struggle often -ensued among them for priority in these offices of affection, and some -would steal one thing and some another which they would carry to it -untasted, however tempting it might be to their own palates. Then they -would take it up gently in their fore-paws, hug it to their breasts, -and cry over it as a fond mother would over her suffering child.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span></p> - -<p>"The little creature seemed sensible of their kind attention, but it -was sadly overcome by sickness. It would sometimes come to me and look -me pitifully in the face and moan and cry like an infant, as if it -besought me to give it relief; and we did everything we could think of -to restore it to health; but in spite of the united attention of its -kindred tribes and ourselves the interesting little creature did not -survive long."</p> - -<p>Sir James Malcolm tells us of two monkeys on shipboard, one older and -larger than the other. They were not related, but merely friends, but -were very fond of each other. One day the small monkey fell overboard. -The older one was in a great excitement. It ran to the part of the ship -which is called "the bend," held on to the side of the vessel with one -hand, and dropped down to the other the end of a cord with which it had -been tied up and which was fastened round its waist. Every one looked -on with surprise at this display of monkey wit, but the cord was too -short and the little one swept by. It is pleasant, however, to be able -to say that it was saved by a sailor, who threw it a longer rope, which -it seized and was drawn on board.</p> - -<p>The monkey becomes as fond of its human friends as it is of those of -its own race. Often it does not like certain people, and has its own -way of showing this, but there are others whom it seems to love warmly. -This faculty does not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> belong only to monkeys, but may be seen in dogs -and other animals. But it is often strongly shown by the monkey.</p> - -<p>Darwin tells of a keeper in the London Zoölogical Garden, who one day -was attacked by a savage baboon. In the cage was a little American -monkey, a great friend of the keeper, but very much afraid of the -great baboon. But when the poor little thing saw its friend in peril -it sprang at once to the rescue and by screams and bites so distracted -the baboon that the keeper was able to escape. The little monkey quite -forgot its fear of the fierce beast when it saw its friend in danger.</p> - -<p>We rarely think what depth of feeling such an animal as the monkey may -have. There are cases in which none of ourselves could show greater -feeling. Here is a case in point.</p> - -<p>On board a war-vessel that was going to Persia was a pet monkey of the -captain, a gentle, kindly little creature that was made much of by -every one on the ship. But like all of its kind it was not free from -love of mischief. There was a goat kept on board to supply milk for the -use of a government official on the ship. One morning it was found that -the monkey had tied the goat to the tackle of a gun and milked it into -the stiff hat of a marine.</p> - -<p>The little culprit was caught in the act and taken to the captain, who -to punish it gave orders that no one on board should take notice of it -for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> a week. The loving little thing did not know what to make of this. -It went about from friend to friend, looking up to them wistfully, but -not getting a word or a kind look from any of them. It put on its most -coaxing airs, but all in vain. For two days it bore this, but on the -morning of the third, finding that it was still in disgrace, its tender -heart was quite broken. It sprang on the bulwarks, put its hands over -its head, gave one pitiful cry and leaped into the sea. It was seen no -more.</p> - -<p>To be fond of mischief and of playing jokes is a common trait in -monkeys as it is in boys. This likeness is shown by the tricks of boys -being called "Monkey tricks." Perhaps they would not play them if they -knew that they were putting themselves on the level of the monkey. -Stories of this tendency are common enough. Here is one told of a young -chimpanzee who bore the familiar name of Tommy, and who lived in a cage -in the Zoölogical Garden of London.</p> - -<p>Master Tommy did not at all approve of tricks that were played upon -himself, though he was very fond of playing them on others. Thus one -day when a carpenter had to enter his cage to make some changes the -little joker was in his element. He played all kinds of tricks on -the workman, such as pulling his hair, snatching off his paper cap, -stealing his tools, and even trying to trip him up. All the time he put -on an air of innocence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> and only came up when he thought he was not -seen. The moment the joke was played he retreated to the other end of -the cage, where he seemed very much interested in something else.</p> - -<p>In the end, when the carpenter had his back to him, Master Tommy could -not resist the temptation, but sprang on the man's shoulders and gave -him such a sound box on the ears that the keeper, who had been enjoying -the fun, had to interfere and make the little rascal behave himself.</p> - -<p>On another occasion Tommy in some way got a small dog into his cage, -and had the time of his life with the little victim. He pulled its ears -and tail till the dog lost its temper and began to show its teeth. At -this Master Tommy pretended to be very indignant, and lifted his hand -in a threatening way, as if to chastise doggie for his impudence. He -would do the same with children if he got a chance, pulling their hair -or clothes or scratching them.</p> - -<p>In fact, he was a little imp of mischief, yet had been taught to be -very neat and nice in his habits, to pick his teeth, clean his nails, -and do other acts supposed to belong to the human race. Like man also -he could walk erect, jump on his hind feet and dance in the stamping -fashion of a child a few years old, though with greater force.</p> - -<p>We must close our stories of monkey wit and wisdom with one that comes -from South Africa, of a monkey that acted as signal man on a rail<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span>road. -This is the story, as told in <i>Chambers' Journal</i>.</p> - -<p>"We had a remarkably intelligent baboon here a few years ago. He was a -giant of his species. His master and trainer had the misfortune to have -both his legs cut off in a railway accident, and on his leaving the -hospital the Cape government gave him a berth as signal man. He taught -this baboon not only to work the signals, but to place the wheels of a -little trolley on the line, and then the bed on the wheels. His master -would then seat himself on the trolley and Jocko would push him along -to his house, about two hundred yards down the line. He would then -detach the pieces of the trolley and clear them off the line. He would -also lock the door of the signal-box and take the key to his master."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_283" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_283.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">VIII<br /> - -OTHER ANIMALS USED AS PETS</h2> - - -<p>We have now gone far and near among the animals kept by man, have seen -them at work and at play, on farm and on road, in doors and out of -doors, some helping him, some amusing him, some supplying him with food -and clothes. But so far we have kept among the animals of common use. -There are others not so often kept and at some of these we must take a -passing glance before we finish our journey.</p> - -<p>Man, you know, is only one among many thousands of kinds of animals -which dwell upon the earth. These are found everywhere, from the hot -equator almost to the frozen poles. The most of them, of course, live -in warm regions, but away up in the seas of ice may be seen creatures -clad in thick wool and fur and finding food under the snows. So there -is hardly any part of the earth without its living beings.</p> - -<p>Some of these animals are so savage that man rarely tries to tame them. -The fierce lion and tiger, the ferocious grizzly bear, the huge and -stupid rhinoceros, and many others of the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> wild sort are shown us -at times in menageries. But we look at them through the iron bars of -their cages. If any of them should get out of the cage we would hasten -to get out of the show.</p> - -<p>Even these fierce animals at times grow tame enough for men and women -to go into their cages and teach them some simple tricks. But they are -never safe to deal with, and we are always glad to see the tamers of -lions and other wild beasts come out of the cages alive.</p> - -<p>It is not such creatures as these that man makes use of. He has picked -out those of gentle nature, the grass eaters, not the flesh eaters. The -dog and cat, it is true, are flesh eaters, but the dog is an animal -that is easily tamed and becomes one of man's best friends. As for the -cat, it rarely becomes quite tame. Its wildwood ways cling to it still.</p> - -<p>Animals fitted for man's use are found in all parts of the earth, but -the tame ones mostly came from Europe and Asia, the countries in which -civilization first began. Here are the native places of the horse and -the cow, the sheep, goat and pig, the hen, duck and goose, and nearly -all the other animals found about our homes.</p> - -<p>There is no continent with a greater variety of animals than Africa, -but few of these have been tamed, and this mostly in the civilized -north, for the people of that continent have long been in a savage or -barbarian state, and have been hunters<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> instead of tamers of animals. -It has been the same in America. When white men came here they brought -their home animals with them and there was no need to tame those found -in this new continent. The only ones tamed by the Indians were the dog -and the Peruvian llama, and nearly the only one added by the white man -has been the turkey. The rest of our animals, like our forefathers -themselves, came from abroad.</p> - -<p>Though we have dealt with the chief animals kept by man, for use or as -pets, there are many others which have been at times tamed and made -into friends and comrades, and it may be well to speak of such of these -as seem of most interest.</p> - -<p>Men and women have a natural love for pets and sometimes pick out very -odd ones. You know what the flea is—or if you do not know it is all -the better, for the flea's way of making itself known is by biting. Yet -even these small pests have been taught to do things, such as being -harnessed to little carriages, which they drag about in a way to please -those who are near enough to see them.</p> - -<p>A strong little insect is the flea. It can leap, we are told, two -hundred times its length, while few of us can jump twice our length. -And it can pull a heavy weight for a creature of its size. But it is -not tamed nor taught. It is simply tied fast and pulls to get loose, -and in this way draws its carriage. So to talk about learned fleas is -to talk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> nonsense and most of us would be satisfied if there were no -such thing as a flea.</p> - -<p>There are other insects which man has at times taken under his care, -the ant, for instance, and some others. But these also are not tamed, -they are simply studied and made use of in various ways. When we talk -of taming animals we must come to those of a higher order, such as the -birds and the four-footed creatures. We speak at times of the fish -being tamed, but this is only from its losing its fear of man and -taking food from his hands. It has not brain power enough for much more -than this.</p> - -<p>Yet man at times makes a pet of the fish, which he keeps in the little -table pond called the aquarium as he keeps his bird pets in the cage, -and of these fish pets a few words may be said.</p> - - -<h3>PETS OF THE AQUARIUM</h3> - -<p>The aquarium is a very pretty piece of furniture for the lovers of -animal life, for a variety of water-living things can be kept in it -alike for study and pleasure. Plants are needed of various kinds, to -give beauty to the collection and keep the water in a fit state for the -fish, for animal life and plant life need to go together. The plant -gives off oxygen for the fish to breathe.</p> - -<p>There are a number of other small animals kept in the aquarium, such as -the tadpole, the water-beetle and several kinds of fresh-water snails.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> -But it is the fish that gives life and action to the parlor pond. -Swimming in its little lake, now up, now down, darting nimbly about, -with its bright scales glistening in the sun, it is always a pretty and -attractive object.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_287"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_287.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">From D. M. Smith's Japanese Gold Fish</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">The Fantail. The Japanese have had wonderful success in changing the -form of the gold fish</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">A favorite among all cage-fish, if I may so call the pets of the -aquarium, is the gold fish, with its bright golden scales, flashing as -it darts about. This fish is of Chinese origin and belongs to the carp -family. It is apt to vary, not only in color but in its fins and tail, -the fins being sometimes double and the tails at times triple. Some of -them change till they look very odd, and have long, wide, lace-like -tails, strange but pretty. Some of the gold fish lose their color and -grow white and are then known as silver fish.</p> - -<p>The common carp is not as handsome as its cousin, the gold fish, and is -apt to grow too large<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> for the aquarium. Those who choose to keep it -may have it all their lives and leave it to those who follow, for it is -said to live from one hundred to two hundred years.</p> - -<p>There are many other fish well fitted for the aquarium, such as the -gudgeon, the roach, the tench, and the perch. But the perch can be kept -only while young and small, as it is a fish eater and has an appetite -that will soon leave it few of the other fish for company.</p> - -<p>One must not forget the minnow among the dwellers in the glass house. -This little, lively fellow is well fitted to live in close quarters and -no fish does better in the home fish-pond. It is a pretty little thing, -with olive back and silvery belly, which sometimes becomes bright red. -After a little time the minnow will grow very bold and tame enough to -come to the edge of the tank at the sound of a familiar voice and take -its morsel of food from between the thumb and finger.</p> - -<p>Among the fish kept in the aquarium must be named the stickleback, the -nest-builder of the fish tribe. This little fish resembles the bird in -building a nest, laying its eggs in it, and watching them with great -care until they are hatched out. The stickleback is a pretty little -fellow, but, like the perch, not safe to keep among other small fish, -as he has the bad habit of feeding on them, so that he soon has the -aquarium to himself.</p> - -<p>Dr. Lankaster says of him: "He has all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> ways of other fishes and -many others besides. Look into your tank; see, there is one larger than -the rest; he is clothed in a coat of mail like a knight of old, and it -is resplendent with purple and gold. He is a male fish and the king of -your little shoal. He has important offices to perform. In the course -of a few days, if you watch him and are fortunate, you will see this -wonderful little fish engaged, in the most useful manner, in building a -nest.</p> - -<p>"He seizes hold of one little bit of weed, then of another, and carries -them all to some safe corner, till at last his nest is built. Having -done this, he gently allures his mate to their new-made home. Here she -deposits her eggs, and having done this resigns the care of them to -our hero of the purple and gold, who watches over them with an anxiety -that no male in creation but the male stickleback seems to know. He -fans and freshens the water with his fins, and at last, when the young -are hatched, watches over their attempts at swimming with the greatest -anxiety."</p> - - -<h3>SNAKE CHARMERS</h3> - -<p>From the fish let us turn to the snake, a gliding creature without -limbs and without joints. It is much like one of the fishes, the eel, -in shape, but not in anything else, while no other animal is so much -feared and hated by man. We hate this creeping reptile from the fact -that a few species<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> of snakes carry a deadly poison in their teeth, -and the strongest of men, bitten by one of these, has often only a few -minutes to live.</p> - -<p>It is this that makes man a bitter foe of the snake and quick to kill -any one he sees, whether it has a poisoned tooth or not. He fears it -and hates it and has made up his mind that he and the snake are not fit -to live together on the same earth.</p> - -<p>This is not fair to the snakes, for only a few of them are poison -bearers. Most of them are as harmless as rabbits and can be handled as -safely. But the cry of "a snake" is almost as bad as the cry of "a mad -dog," and even so gentle a little thing as the garter snake has usually -a short lease of life if seen by man or boy.</p> - -<p>Not quite everybody has this foolish fear of all snakes, the good -and the bad alike, for there are some who make pets of them. And -snakes thus petted become very tame and grow fond of those who take -care of them. This is the case even with the huge python and the -boa-constrictor, the greatest of all snakes. They are not poisonous, -but when they wind their body in strong coils around an animal, even -one of good size, they can soon crush the life out of it.</p> - -<p>Many stories might be given of tame snakes and it may be well to quote -one of these as told by Mr. Romanes in his "Animal Intelligence." He -had it from Mr. Severn, an artist, who tells<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> of a call he made on -a Mr. and Mrs. Mann, two snake-lovers who were much blamed by their -neighbors for keeping these crawling creatures.</p> - -<p>When Mr. Severn called he was asked by Mr. Mann if he was afraid of -snakes. He said, in a timid way, "No, not very," and his host took out -of a cupboard a large boa-constrictor, a python, and a number of small -snakes, which at once made themselves at home on the writing table -among pens, ink and books.</p> - -<p>Mr. Severn's eyes opened very wide when he saw the two big snakes -looking at him with their bright eyes and thrusting out their forked -tongues, and they opened wider still when he saw the great serpents -coil round and round the body of his friend. But when he found that -they were very tame and would do no harm he lost his sense of fright.</p> - -<p>After some time Mr. Mann went out to call his wife, leaving the boa on -an arm chair. The other snakes were put away. The visitor now began to -feel rather queer, the more so when he saw the great serpent creeping -slowly towards him. He was glad enough when Mr. and Mrs. Mann came in, -bringing their two children. The lady and the children went at once -to the boa, called it by loving names, and let it twine itself around -them. We give the rest in Mr. Severn's own words:</p> - -<p>"I sat talking for a long time, lost in wonder at the picture before -me. Two beautiful little girls with their charming mother sat before -me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> with a boa-constrictor (as thick round as a small tree) twining -playfully round the lady's waist and neck and forming a kind of turban -round her head, expecting to be petted and made much of like a kitten. -The children over and over again took its head in their hands and -kissed its mouth, pushing aside its forked tongue in doing so.</p> - -<p>"The animal seemed much pleased, but kept turning its head towards me -with a curious gaze, until I allowed it to nestle its head for a moment -up my sleeve. Nothing could be prettier than to see this splendid -serpent coiled all around Mrs. Mann while she moved about the room and -when she stood to pour out our coffee. He seemed to adjust his weight -so nicely, and every coil with its beautiful marking was relieved by -the black velvet dress of the lady.... The snakes seemed very obedient, -and remained in the cupboard when told to do so.</p> - -<p>"About a year ago Mr. and Mrs. Mann were away for six weeks and left -the boa in charge of a keeper at the Zoo. The poor reptile moped, -slept, and refused to be comforted, but when his master and mistress -appeared he sprang upon them with delight, coiling himself around them, -and showing every symptom of intense delight."</p> - -<p>Is not this a pretty story of snake taming! Others might be told, for -these animals, like others, learn to know and love those who care for -them and treat them well.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span></p> - -<p>Would you like to know something more about these great snakes? Many -stories are told of them, but the trouble is that these are not all -true. Thus we are told of pythons forty feet long and able to kill and -swallow a goat or antelope, horns and all. The fact is, that they are -never seen more than twenty feet long, usually little more than ten. -And though they can kill a goat or antelope, they cannot swallow any -animal larger than a small dog.</p> - -<p>The python and the boa-constrictor are much alike, but they do not live -in the same countries, the python dwelling in the Old World and the boa -in the New World. They lurk near water, hiding in the bushes or in the -trees, where they are ready to seize small animals that come to drink. -These they slowly swallow. Winding their tails around the limb of a -tree, they can hang down and seize any animal passing beneath.</p> - -<p>But it was not these big snakes, but the doings of the snake charmers, -I set out to talk about and to this I must return. We hear of snakes -being charmed as we hear of forty foot pythons, but the fact is that -there seems to be no charming of the snake at all. When the snake goes -through what is called "dancing" one would suppose it had been trained. -We know that this is not the case from the fact that the moment a snake -has been captured a snake-charmer is able to make it "dance."</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_294"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_294.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 left sm">Reproduced by Permission of the Philadelphia Museum</p> - <p class="p0 center p-left">Hindu Snake Charmers with the Deadly Cobras</p> - </div> - -<p class="p2">What is called the snake dance is a natural habit of the cobra, which -raises its head and one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span>-third of its body above the ground and sways -about in the air while the charmer is playing on his pipe. The cobra -has poor sight and poor hearing and certainly no ear for music. What it -lifts itself in this way for is a chance to strike its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> enemy. It can -strike only with the part of its body that is lifted up and this the -charmer knows and can easily keep out of reach.</p> - -<p>The cobra is a very deadly serpent. It kills thousands of persons every -year in India with its fatal bite. Yet it can be tamed and taught to -make itself at home. It can even be made to take the part of a house -dog. At any rate Major Skinner, an English officer in India, tells us -this snake tale:</p> - -<p>"In one family near Negombo cobras are kept as protectors in the place -of dogs, by a wealthy man who has always large sums of money in his -house, and this is not a solitary case of the kind.... The snakes glide -about the house, a terror to the thieves, but never attempting to harm -the inmates."</p> - -<p>So it seems that even the deadly cobra is not as black as it is -painted, but can be tamed and made a friend of by man. When the -snake-charmer wants a new snake he plays on his pipe near places in -which serpents are apt to hide, and the cobra and other snakes come out -and are caught. Sometimes the poison fangs are drawn out of the snake's -jaws, but often they are not, the charmers knowing how to avoid being -bitten. If bitten, they know how to take care of a bite.</p> - -<p>Here is a story told by a Mr. Reyne, who tried to learn the truth about -the snake charmers. He made one of these men go with him into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> -jungle, after finding that he had no snakes hidden under his clothes. -As these Hindus wear very little clothing, this was easy to do.</p> - -<p>In the jungle was a tall ant-hill in which Mr. Reyne knew that a large -cobra made its home. Here the man played his pipe, and soon the cobra -came gliding out, as if charmed by the music. Mr. Reyne goes on to say:</p> - -<p>"On seeing the man it tried to escape, but he caught it by the tail and -kept swinging it around until we reached the bungalow. He then made it -dance, but before long it bit him above the knee. He at once bandaged -the leg above the bite and applied a snake-stone to the wound to draw -out the poison. He was in great pain for a few minutes but after that -it gradually went away, the stone falling off just before he was -relieved."</p> - -<p>Thus it may be seen that a snake can be made to dance the instant it -is caught and before it can have any lessons in dancing. The dancing -is only a movement made by the serpent when it is alarmed and rises to -defend itself.</p> - -<p>As for the taming of snakes, it is not very hard to do. The snakes must -get used to the sight of man by seeing them often, as when kept in a -cage where people pass or stop to look in. And when thus used to see -man, they may be handled freely at all times except just after a meal. -But those who handle them must be careful not to touch their necks or -tails, for these are tender parts of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> snake. Thus treated, they -soon grow tame. Of course, some are much more savage than others, and -any one who wants to own a tame snake had better leave the poisonous -kinds alone.</p> - - -<h3>THE MONGOOSE AND OTHER SMALL ANIMALS</h3> - -<p>As I have now told the story of the snake, it is well to give a little -time to one of the snake's chief enemies, the little weasel-like animal -known in Egypt as the Ichneumon and in India as the Mongoose. Larger -than a cat, but with a long, slender body, and very quick in its -movements, the ichneumon is death to snakes. I cannot say that it is -proof against the snake's bite, but it jumps about in so lively a way -that the snake gets no chance to bite it, and when it once gets its -teeth in the snake's hide it soon puts an end to his career.</p> - -<p>This little animal is also death to crocodiles. But you must not think -that it deals with the crocodile as it does with the snake. The fact -is that it is very fond of the crocodile's eggs, and by digging these -out of the sand and eating them it is of much use in cutting down the -crocodile crop.</p> - -<p>It is easily tamed and becomes a house pet, doing much to keep the -house free from rats and mice. Its worst fault is that it loves poultry -and is hard to keep out of the chicken coop. The ichneumon has a pretty -fashion of squatting down and eating out of its fore-paws like a -squirrel.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> When it sleeps it coils up into a round ball, with its head -and tail under its belly.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_298"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_298.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Mongoose. The Deadly Foe of Snakes and Rats</p> - </div> - -<p>The mongoose is a little smaller than the ichneumon, but it is like it -in other ways. Not many years ago some of these animals were brought to -the island of Jamaica, where rats in the sugar-cane fields were giving -the planters a great deal of trouble by gnawing the cane. For a time -all went well. The mongoose went for the rats and soon these gnawers -grew very few. The planters thought they had done a good thing in the -way of saving their sugar-cane.</p> - -<p>In time the mongoose was to be seen everywhere and hardly any rats were -left. Then the hungry little strangers had to look for food elsewhere -and found it in the poultry-yard. The chickens began to follow the -rats. Nowadays the planters look on the mongoose as a worse pest even -than the rat and would like very much<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> to get rid of their late friend, -who makes it very hard to keep chickens and any kind of poultry. They -would be glad to find some animal that would serve the mongoose as the -mongoose served the rat.</p> - -<p>A very tamable little creature is the mongoose, and a very active one -also, for it is never still for a minute except when asleep. It is not -always hungry, like some other tame animals, but soon gets enough food. -But when it does want something to eat it wants it badly and will walk -around on its hind legs in man-like fashion after its keeper, and climb -up his body till he gives it the food and drink it needs.</p> - -<p>The mongoose always wants to know. He must have his nose in everything -he sees. He is all the time looking for something new. He would make a -good scholar if sent to school. We are told of one that had his doll, -his pet rabbit, his toy monkey, all stuffed, and these he played with -till the stuffing all came out. If they were stuffed again he would -go back to his play. One day he was given a Japanese paper snake and -he went for that snake as if it was a live one. First he bit it in -two. Then he bit the halves into quarters. Before he let the snake go -there was not a piece left big enough for a bite. The little chap knew -somehow that he was a born snake killer.</p> - -<p>When he could find nothing else to do he would climb into the window -and view with delight all that went on outside, the cat, the dog, the -horse,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> the milkman, everything. A game of tennis would hold him quiet -for hours, for he was fond of ball play himself and very good at it. -When he could find nothing to do or to see he would wander about like a -lost lamb, and as a last resort would coil up in his master's lap and -go to sleep.</p> - -<p>He had no fancy for being locked up in a cage, as had to be done at -times, and he let people know this. If a friend of his came into the -room where he was caged he would begin to cry like a cat, his voice -growing loud and shrill if no notice was taken of him. In a minute more -he would be flying around the cage in a fury, tearing up his bedding -and flinging it to all quarters. If this had no effect his voice would -sink into a wail of despair which it was hard to resist.</p> - -<p>But the instant he was taken out all his rage and grief were at an end. -He would cuddle up in his master's arms, lay his head lovingly on his -cheek and coo and crow away in deep delight.</p> - -<p>Leaving the mongoose, we may take a look in upon some other four-footed -creatures that make good pets. Among these are such as the chameleon, -the odd lizard that has the power to take on a new color whenever it -gets tired of the old one; the armadillo, which wears a coat of mail -and can roll itself up into a ball that no teeth can bite into; the -hedgehog, another little creature that rolls up into a ball with sharp -spines sticking out on all sides; the porcupine, that does the same -thing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> and has much longer spines; in fact, almost all kinds of small -animals, even those we call house vermin, the rat and the mouse.</p> - -<p>We might fancy that pet-lovers would draw a line at rats and mice, but -these have often been tamed, at least the white rat and mouse, which -some people like for their color. The rat makes a better pet than the -mouse, for it is very quick-witted, while the mouse is apt to be dull. -Among animal stories there is one we are told about a white rat that -seems worth telling.</p> - -<p>The owner of this rat found it to be clean, loving and very lively. -Like all rats it had the habit of laying up a store of food for future -use, and when it found a supply would never stop till it had carried it -all away. It was funny to watch it. If a plate of biscuits was put upon -the table with no one near by, it would carry them away, one at a time, -till not a biscuit was left. They would all be taken to its nesting -place, across the room, and laid away for future use.</p> - -<p>If it got hold of a hunk of bread too heavy to carry up to its elevated -nest, this did not stop its work. It would sit on the floor and gnaw -the bread into small bits, carrying those up one at a time. It was fond -of warming itself before a coal fire, and seemed to take the fancy that -coal was a good thing to have, for it carried it off a piece at a time -till it had a store of this hard stuff a foot wide and five or six -inches deep.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span></p> - -<p>Very likely many of you have read about how rats will carry off eggs, -even taking them down stairs without an egg being broken. It takes two -rats to do this, one passing the egg down to the other on the step -below. They have even been seen to take eggs up stairs. One rat catches -the egg between its fore-paws and its head, and gets up on its hind -legs, passing it up to the other, who catches it in its fore-paws. Then -they go up another step and keep at this till the top is reached. They -are very fond of oil, and when they find bottles of oil have a cute way -of their own to get it. First gnawing off the cover, the rat sticks its -tail down into the oil, pulls it up well covered, and licks off the -oil. Sometimes they take turns, each handing down its tail for another -rat to lick. You may see from this that the rat is a very wide-awake -little nuisance.</p> - -<p>The tame rat we have been speaking of died in good time and a hedgehog -became his master's next pet. Have you ever seen a hedgehog? Some of -you have, no doubt; but for those who have not I would say that it is a -little creature that lives in a hole in the ground or in trees or rocks -and comes out at night to feed on mice, frogs, insects and such like -prey.</p> - -<p>The hedgehog is about a foot long and six inches high, with small black -eyes and sharp-pointed head. The odd thing about it is the fact that -where most animals are covered with hair this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> one is covered with -spines, hard and sharp, like little thorns. These grow to be about an -inch long and there are muscles in the back that cause them to stand up -and stick out in all directions.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_303"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_303.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Common Hedgehog with his Battery of Spines</p> - </div> - -<p>When a dog gets busy about a hedgehog, it does not try to run away. All -it does is to roll itself up into a ball, its head and tail meeting -over its lower parts and its spines sticking up all around. When the -dog gets these into his nose a few times he is apt to lose his taste -for hedgehog meat. He may roll the animal about with his paws, but that -does no good, and he soon goes away with sore head and paws, leaving -the hedgehog to unroll and make its way back to its burrow.</p> - -<p>When taken home and fed it soon becomes very tame and friendly. It -can be handled with safety, for when it is not rolled up its spines -lie flat along its back, so that its friends can stroke its back and -scratch its nose without harm. These it likes to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> have done. When it is -put on a table it does not a bit mind taking a dive to the floor, for -it rolls up so to fall on its spines and thus is not hurt.</p> - -<p>A tame hedgehog is a good thing to keep in a garden or kitchen, for it -helps to clear the one of worms and the other of roaches and sometimes -will catch and kill a rat. It is not afraid to attack snakes, even -poisonous ones like the viper. The poison does not seem to do it any -harm.</p> - -<p>I have spoken of the armadillo as a pet and as an animal that rolls -itself into a ball like the hedgehog. Instead of spines, it has a -covering of hard, bony plates, which cover the whole body, even the -tail. When it rolls itself up it is like a hard stone and can laugh -within its coat of mail at the enemies which roll it about but cannot -get in.</p> - -<p>The armadillo is an American animal, and is found in our country in the -state of Texas. It goes south from there through Mexico and on to South -America, where it is found everywhere. It lives in large numbers in the -woods and on the great grass plains. In its food and habits it is much -like the hedgehog, and like it burrows in the ground. To do this it has -very strong claws, and these it can use to defend itself when it takes -a fancy to fight.</p> - -<p>The same person who kept the white rat I have spoken of also had a pet -armadillo, though the two were not very good friends. The armadillo was -very quick in its motions and the first time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span> it saw the rat it went -for it like a lightning flash. The rat was one of the kind of vermin it -fed on in its natural state and it thought here was a good chance for a -feast. In a minute it had the rat driven into a corner where there was -no hole or hiding place and where it stood up as if praying with its -paws in the air. In a minute more the armadillo would have made mince -meat of the rat with its sharp claws, but its master just then came to -the rescue, and saved his pet rat.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_305"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_305.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p 0 center p-left sm">The Three-banded Armadillo. An Animal in a Coat of Mail</p> - </div> - -<p>In the end he punished the armadillo by making a little wagon in which -he made it draw the rat about as a passenger.</p> - -<p>His armadillo, he tells us, was a famous sleeper, lying asleep about -twenty-three hours out of the twenty-four. But in its wakeful hour it -was very active and lively. It loved to lie before the fire, but if -turned over on its back and scratched it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span> grew furious. It could not -turn itself back again much easier than a turtle.</p> - -<p>The one thing that threw it into a panic was a sudden noise. If, for -instance, the poker was thrown down, the scared animal would make a -bee-line for its home, and if it missed the mark would tumble around -in a fright till it found the entrance to its cage. When it got used -to the noise of the poker any other noise would set it off in the same -way, and it never got over its panic at a strange and sudden noise.</p> - -<p>So many kinds of animals have been tamed at times that I cannot speak -of them all. But I must not forget our familiar little friend, the -squirrel, one of the prettiest and liveliest of tree-dwellers. To see -him seated, with bushy tail curled up over his back, and gnawing away -at a nut held between his fore-paws, is to see one of nature's most -charming sights. And he is a tameable little creature, easy to keep and -to feed, and very pleasing in his ways.</p> - -<p>There are many kinds of squirrels, but all of them may be tamed. -They need a cage of good size, and a usual feature of the cage is a -revolving wheel or cylinder of zinc wire, a sort of tread-mill in which -the active little fellow may take all the exercise he wants, making it -spin round at a great speed. He needs a snug little ante-room, to which -he may retire when tired of his wheel. Any kind of nut will be welcome -as food, and even a stale<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> crust of bread or a bit of boiled potato, -all of which he will gnaw in his funny way.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_307"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_307.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Friendly Gray Squirrel</p> - </div> - -<p>Many stories of tame squirrels could be told. Here is one which we owe -to a Captain Brown. I give it both for its neatness and its odd ending.</p> - -<p>It is of a tame squirrel that used to run up its master's leg and pop -into his pocket whenever it saw him getting ready to go out. As he -went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> through the streets it would keep in his pocket, sticking its -head out in a saucy way to took at people passing. As soon as the -outskirts of the town were reached and trees and bushes became common, -out of the pocket it would pop, down the leg it would scramble, and up -the trees it would climb, nibbling away at the bark and leaves. If its -master started on, down it would come and climb back to his pocket. If -a cart or carriage came by it would hide till they had passed, for it -was timid with any one but its master.</p> - -<p>It was not a good friend with the house dog and this seems to have been -bunny's fault, for he had a fashion of his own of teasing the dog. If -it lay down and went off into a snooze, down would come the squirrel, -scamper over its body, and dart off to its cage again before the dog -had time to growl or snap.</p> - -<p>This squirrel—or it may have been another squirrel which had the same -fancy of hiding in its master's pocket—had one night an adventure in -which it served its master as well as any watch-dog could have done. -The gentleman who kept it used, when he came home at night, to hang -his coat behind one of the downstairs doors. This made a neat sleeping -place for the squirrel, who would climb up to the pocket, taking some -tow with him for bedding.</p> - -<p>One night, after the family and the squirrel alike had gone to bed, -a burglar made his way into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> the house and began to peer around for -plunder. Seeing the coat hanging on the door, he began with that, -putting his hand into the pocket. In an instant he drew it out again -with a cry of pain. He had got a sudden bite from the squirrel's sharp -teeth. At the noise the man of the house sprang up, seized a poker and -ran down stairs. He was in time to capture the burglar, who was just -climbing out of the window.</p> - - -<h3>HAWKING OR FALCONRY</h3> - -<p>Perhaps you have read enough about tame animals of the four-footed -kind. At any rate it will be well to turn now to the two-footed kind, -the birds, and talk about a kind of sport in which birds have been used -for many centuries. Nowadays, when one of us goes hunting, we take our -shot-gun or rifle, with the dog for companion, and bring down the game -with a bullet or load of shot. But long ago, before the gun was known, -there was another way of catching game, and of this I wish to speak.</p> - -<p>It is called Hawking or Falconry, and is a very old sport in which the -falcon or the hawk was used to take game. It is still in use in some -countries, but in old times falconry was the favorite sport of kings -and nobles, many of whom spent much of their time in the field, hunting -smaller or weaker birds by aid of the strong and swift falcon or hawk.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span></p> - -<p>This kind of sport began very long ago, no one can say how long, it -being common in Asia long before it was known in Europe. And it is -common in some parts of Asia still.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_310"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_310.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">A Hooded Peregrine Falcon. Its eyes are covered by the -hood until the game is in sight</p> - </div> - -<p>Bishop Stanley says: "About two thousand years ago ancient writers -speak of hawking as a common sport. People used to go out into the -marshy grounds and beat among the reeds and bushes for small birds, and -as these flew away hawks were let loose in pursuit, and when the game -fell to the ground, either through fright or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> struck by the hawks, men -ran up and secured them.</p> - -<p>"In China it is a favorite sport with some of the mandarins to hawk -for butterflies and other large insects with birds trained for that -particular pastime. In India the Goshawk and two other species are -taught to keep hovering over the hunters' heads and when deer and other -game start up, they dart down and fix their claws upon its head and -thus bewilder it until it is secured. A certain sultan kept a corps of -seven thousand falconers."</p> - -<p>The Arabians used the falcon to hunt the goat. When a rock goat was -seen on a mountain the falcon would be let loose and would fly like -an arrow straight for the animal, lighting on its back and fixing its -talons in its throat. It held fast until the huntsman came up to the -weakened animal and cut its throat, the falcon being paid for its -service by drinking the blood.</p> - -<p>Falconry is still common in Persia and is much spoken of in the poetry -and stories of the Persians. One of these stories is worth telling, -both from its being a very pretty one and from its being like a famous -story of ancient Wales. In the Welsh story, which we have in a fine -ballad, Prince Llewellyn had a faithful dog named Gellert which he left -in charge of his infant child. During the absence of the prince a wolf -entered the house and was attacked and killed by the dog. When<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> he came -home he saw the cradle upset and blood all over the floor, and thinking -that the dog had killed his child he plunged his sword into its side. A -minute later he saw the child safe under the cradle and the wolf lying -dead. He was sorry enough when he saw this, but all he could do was to -build a monument over his faithful dog.</p> - -<p>Stories like this were common in the past, with other animals than the -dog and the wolf. In old Persia it was the hawk and the snake. We are -told of a Persian king who went out hunting with his favorite falcon -on his wrist. After a time a deer started up and was pursued by the -falcon, and was in time brought down and killed.</p> - -<p>In chasing it, the king had left all his people in the rear and now -found himself alone. He was also hot and thirsty and finding some water -trickling down a mountain side, he filled his cup with it, but very -slowly, as the water came down only in drops. He was about to drink it -when the falcon struck the cup with its wings and spilt the water.</p> - -<p>Vexed at this, the king filled the cup again and once more raised it to -his lips. Again the falcon flapped its wings and the water was spilled. -This made the king so angry that he flung the bird to the ground and -killed it on the spot.</p> - -<p>At this moment one of his attendants came up and the king, who was too -thirsty to wait again until the cup was filled drop by drop, gave it to -the man and told him to climb up and fill it at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span> the spring. The man -did so, but as he came down he saw a large serpent lying dead with its -head in the water, into which a poisonous foam flowed from its lips. -When he came down and told of what he had seen the king was deeply -grieved, for he had killed the faithful bird which was seeking to save -him from death or danger.</p> - -<p>Coming now to later times we find that hawking made its way from Asia -into Europe very long ago. Denmark was a famous place for this sport in -the far past and it was common in France and England at least as early -as the 10th century. The kings of those countries grew very fond of it. -When Edward III. of England went to fight in France he took with him -thirty falconers and hunted or hawked every day, and Henry VIII. at one -time nearly lost his life when out hawking. In recent times it has died -away in great part, but is still practiced in some countries.</p> - -<p>Such is the history of hawking. Now a few words may be said about -the practice. The birds used belong to two classes, the long-winged, -dark-eyed falcons and the short-winged, yellow-eyed hawks. The falcons -used are the Gerfalcon, Peregrine, Hobby, Merlin, and some others. The -hawks used are the Goshawk and the Sparrowhawk. The falcons take their -prey by rising above it in the air and darting down upon it. The hawks -fly in a straight line and take it by their great speed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span></p> - -<p>The taming of these birds is a slow process. It was of old the custom -to fasten jesses or soft leather straps round their legs and hoods over -their heads. A line fastened to the strap kept them from flying away. -They were taught to rest and feed on the gloved hand of the trainer and -also to make short flights to a "lure," a piece of wood on which food -was placed. They were drawn back by the cord tied to the jesses. In -this and other ways the birds were taught, and in time could be trusted -to fly free and come back to the huntsman's hand.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_314"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_314.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Leg and Foot of Falcon Showing the Method of Attaching -the Fastening</p> - </div> - -<p>When the hawkers went abroad on a hunt, gay was the show and lively the -sport. On horseback, carrying the hawks on their wrists, the gallant -company rode briskly away, all of them dressed in fine robes and the -hawks also richly "dressed." The bird might have around its neck a -collar of gold filagree and over its head a hood of the finest silk, -with a plume of colored feathers on top.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> Little tinkling bells, those -of finest sound, hung from the leather leg rings, and the glove on -which the bird sat was often spangled with gold, and sometimes adorned -with jewels.</p> - -<p>While the hood was on the bird would not move, but when the hood was -taken off and it saw the prey it was eager to fly. Here is the story of -a hawking party as late as 1825. This party set out in the afternoon, -riding towards a place frequented by herons—a large, strong bird with -which only the strongest falcons could deal. There were four couples -of birds, all of the kind known as Peregrine falcons. Each bird had a -small bell on one leg and a leather hood, with pieces of red cloth in -it to cover each eye.</p> - -<p>After some time a heron was seen near at hand. At once the hoods were -taken from the heads of two of the falcons and as soon as they had seen -the bird they were let loose. Away they flew after the heron, but a -crow chanced to cross their track and one of the birds started to chase -this, while the other kept on.</p> - -<p>When it came near the heron it flew in circles until it was far above -it and at length came pouncing down and struck its prey on the back. -Down came the two birds, tumbling from a high point to the ground. By -this time the crow had escaped and the second falcon came flying up, -just in time to see the other falcon and the heron falling. At this -instant a rook flew across and the second bird<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> struck at him, bringing -him to the ground not far away from the other game.</p> - -<p>Up now dashed the falconers, held out the lure, on which was a live -pigeon, and secured the game while the birds were making a meal upon -the pigeon. Two other herons were taken by the other falcons and the -day's sport closed. Such was a scene of hawking in the 19th century. In -olden times the game was often much more exciting than this.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span></p></div> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_317" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_317.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">IX<br /> - -WILD ANIMALS IN MAN'S SERVICE</h2> - - -<p>You must by this time think that there is hardly any kind of animal -upon the earth that man has not at some time kept as a friend or -a captive. Of course, we mean the larger animals, the quadrupeds, -reptiles, birds, and fishes, not the vast hordes of insects and the -still lower animals. Of these there is only one, the honey-seeking bee, -that has been made to work for man, but of the large animals many more -than those spoken of have served him in some way or have been captured -and caged for his pleasure.</p> - -<p>All the large cities have their Zoölogical gardens, where wild beasts -of many kinds are kept on show, and in villages and small towns and -cities the travelling menagerie carries such wild creatures around -where everyone may see them.</p> - -<p>Here, in strong cages, we may look at the lordly lion, with its -splendid mane, and its gaping jaws, filled with cruel teeth, and the -tiger, fierce and sly, pacing round and round its narrow cage on silent -feet, and at times stopping to glare with savage eyes at the lookers -outside. It may have seen and made a meal on such beings in its native -wilds.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span></p> - -<p>Then there are the snarling hyena, the spotted leopard, the wild-eyed -wolf, the American panther and wild-cat, the growling bear, and many -others. Greatest among these are the huge and savage rhinoceros, the -ugly river-horse, or hippopotamus, and the noble elephant.</p> - -<p>These are only a few of the animals that are kept for show, among them -many of the tameable ones, as the playful monkey, the slender deer or -antelope, the large elk and moose, the wolf, raccoon, opossum, kangaroo -and many others of the smaller animals.</p> - -<p>Man is able to make friends of the most of these. In fact there are -daring men and women who are ready to go into the cages of the fiercest -of these beasts and make them go through the tricks they have been -taught. They have been even found bold enough to put their heads into -the lion's mouth. This is always a foolish thing to do, and sometimes -it has ended in the lion's closing his great jaws and smashing the -man's head as one would smash an egg-shell.</p> - -<p>With all this we are not here concerned. It is only the animals that -serve us as friends and helpers that we are dealing with. But man at -times makes use of certain creatures that usually are only seen in a -wild state, so it is well to say something of the wild animals that at -times are made to serve us in some way.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span></p> - - -<h3>THE DANCING BEAR</h3> - -<p>You have seen, no doubt, the dancing bears, clumsy, ugly brutes that -men lead around the country, visiting the summer resorts, and making -the animals go through some awkward movements on their hind legs, which -they call dancing.</p> - -<p>This is not a sign of any great sense in the bear. To get up on his -hind legs is a common habit of this lumbering fellow. Many hunters who -have made the bear angry have found this to be the case. When it wants -to fight up comes the bear on its hind feet. It is not like a prize -fighter, using its fore-legs to spar with; though it can strike a blow -that will hurl the strongest man to the ground. But what it tries to do -is to get its fore-legs round the man and give him a hug. When a bear -hugs, he means business. It is not a tender embrace, but a bone-cracker -that few men can stand.</p> - -<p>The bear is an easy animal to tame. The common brown bear I mean, not -the savage grizzly bear, which no one would think of trying to tame, -except when young. When a bear is tamed it shows itself a docile animal -that will not hurt any one who treats it well.</p> - -<p>As for the learned bears, their learning does not amount to much. It -takes no special teaching to get them on their hind legs or to prance -around in a clumsy fashion. Yet the bear is not wanting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> in brain -powers. It is really an animal of much intelligence and very teachable.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_320"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_320.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">Grizzly Bear Cub. The Young of all Animals, Even of the -Fierce Grizzly, can be Tamed by Kindness</p> - </div> - -<p>It shows this in various ways. I have told you how the elephant gets -hold of a piece of food by blowing back of it with his trunk, and -how the monkey does the same thing by throwing his shawl over it and -drawing it in. The bear has a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> way of his own of doing the same thing, -as the following anecdote will show:</p> - -<p>It is the story of a bear at the Zoo, to which some one threw a bun. -The bun fell into the bear's bathing pool, out of his reach. The animal -could have got it easily by going into the water, but did not just then -want to wet his feet and in his wise head thought out another plan. He -put his paw into the water and began stirring it up till he had a sort -of current going round the pond. When one leg was tired he put in the -other, moving it in the same direction, and kept this up till the bun -came swimming round within reach.</p> - -<p>There are other stories of the same kind and they go to show that the -bear has good thinking powers. He certainly knew that by making a -current in the water he could cause the bun to float up within reach -of his paws. It is not likely that this bear had ever done the thing -before or seen it done, so he had to think it out for himself.</p> - -<p>There is a very interesting thing to say about wild animals which will -fit in well at this point. As a rule they only want to be let alone, -and if man would quit hunting them many of them would become as tame as -the cows and sheep in our fields. There is much proof of this, some of -it very late proof.</p> - -<p>After the Yellowstone National Park was set aside as a national -pleasure ground orders were given that none of the wild animals of the -park<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span> should be shot. You may think that these wild creatures could not -find this out, but they soon did. Thus we are told that the elks, the -great deer of the mountains, are very alert and timid outside the park -boundary, but when they have crossed this and come into the park they -grow very bold and independent. They have learned that the crack of the -gun which means death on one side of the border is not heard on the -other, and have taken in this lesson.</p> - -<p>As for the bears, they are fearless of man when inside the park, and -come up close to the hotels and other buildings as if they looked upon -these as part of their lunch route. It is the same with the other wild -animals. They seem to know.</p> - -<p>We hear of the same thing from East Africa. No one can shoot at game -within a certain distance on each side of the East African Railway. -That is the law and the wild beasts have come to know it. Travellers on -that road tell us that crowds of wild animals can be seen on both sides -of the road, antelopes, zebras, ostriches, deer, and the like, looking -with curious eyes as the train goes by but not trying to get away.</p> - -<p>This was not the case in the past, when people could shoot at them from -the train. No one has posted up a bulletin in beast language telling -that a treaty of peace had been signed between man and beast. But there -stands the fact. These innocent creatures have lost all their old fear -of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span> the railway train. They seem to have told one another.</p> - -<p>This is not the case with such dangerous brutes as the lion, the -leopard, the hyena and the rhinoceros. These do not come within the -terms of the treaty of peace. Travellers are free to shoot at them. As -a result you do not see them among the animals that welcome the train.</p> - - -<h3>THE SEAL AND THE ALLIGATOR</h3> - -<p>So far we have been talking of land animals, those that live, eat and -breathe on solid ground. If we turn to the sea, we find it the native -abode of the fish and of many animals lower than fish in nature's great -family. And it is of interest to find that some land animals have gone -back to the great world of waters, part of them to live there all the -time, part to share their time between land and sea.</p> - -<p>Among the first of these is the mighty whale, much the largest of -living beings; also the porpoise, the dolphin, and other air-breathers -that live in the ocean. Chief among those that spend their lives in -part on the land are the seals. And these are the only animals of the -land-sea kind that have ever been tamed, so we must say a few words -about the seal.</p> - -<p>There are many kinds of seals, some of them, like the sea-elephant -of the southern seas, being very large. Others are small. All are -splendid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> swimmers, their arms and hands acting as fins or oars, with -which they can make their way very swiftly through the water. The ocean -is their dining hall, in which a great dish of fish is ever ready for -them, but their home is on island shores, where their young are born -and brought up till they are able to swim.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_324"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_324.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Harp-seal Afloat on the Ice</p> - </div> - -<p>The kind of seal to be talked of here is that known as the Common Seal. -This is the easiest to tame. It is found in the Arctic seas and comes -down the coasts of Europe as far south as the Mediterranean and the -coasts of America as far south as New Jersey.</p> - -<p>This little fellow, along with some other species, is very intelligent. -Where they are not hunted they will come very close to boats and to men -on shore. They have a fondness for music and will follow a boat for -miles if a flute or some other instrument is played. The ringing of the -church<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span>bell of the little town of Hoy, in the Orkney Islands, has often -brought a great many seals into the bay, drawn there by the bell tones.</p> - -<p>Seals that have been taken and tamed are very gentle and docile, and -will live long if they have water to bathe and swim in, and fish to -eat. They like to be taken notice of and caressed, come like dogs when -their names are called, and can be easily taught many little tricks, so -that learned seals are often put on exhibition.</p> - -<p>When taken young and brought up in a household the seal acts as if it -felt itself to be one of the family, and likes much to lie and warm -itself in front of the fire. It grows very fond of those who care for -it, showing a tender and loving nature.</p> - -<p>We are told of one that would follow its master about like a dog, -eating from his hand and lying by his side when he sat before the -kitchen fire. It would also nestle close to the dog, with which it had -made friends. When anyone came into the room, up would go its head to -see who the newcomer was. But it never tried to bite dog or stranger.</p> - -<p>The winter after this young seal was taken was cold and stormy, so that -it was not easy to catch fish enough to feed the family and the seal. -They tried giving it milk, but it took so much of this that in the end -the family could not afford to keep it and decided to set it free and -let it fish for itself.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span></p> - -<p>Taking the little thing—it was very young—into a boat, they rowed out -to sea, and when far enough from land tossed it overboard. But they -were not going to get rid of their pet seal so easily as this. It swam -after the boat, crying in so pitiful a way that they could not bear the -tone and in the end took it on board again. Thus it was brought back to -the house and lived there several months more before it took sick and -died.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_326"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_326.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Savage Florida Alligator</p> - </div> - -<p>There is a story very like this of another seal that its owners tried -several times to get rid of. They failed to do so, the knowing creature -always finding its way back. At one time it even crept into the room -through an open window and made its way up to bask by the fireside.</p> - -<p>While it is not strange that the seal can be easily tamed, we should -not look for such a thing in so savage an animal as the alligator, -the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span> feared and hated of the animals found in the waters of our -Southern States. Yet even this ferocious reptile can be tamed, as the -following story will show.</p> - -<p>The alligator in question was taken when very young, before its wild -nature had shown itself, and was fed and attended to by its master, -of whom it became very fond. It grew so tame that it would follow him -about the house like a dog, even scrambling up and down stairs after -him.</p> - -<p>But the funny thing about this comical pet was that its chief friend -was the cat, and that pussy returned its friendship. When the cat lay -drowsing before the fire, the alligator would crawl up, lay its head on -her back, and go to sleep in this position. It seemed happy whenever -the cat was near, but grew very restless if its furry friend was away.</p> - -<p>Raw flesh was fed to it and sometimes milk, which it liked very much. -At night, in cold weather, it slept in a box, with wool for it to -nestle in. But one night there came a sharp frost and the little guest -was forgotten. The next morning the native of warm climates was found -frozen to death.</p> - - -<h3>THE STORK, CORMORANT AND ALBATROSS</h3> - -<p>It would take many pages to tell about all the wild animals that have -at times been tamed by man or made to serve him in various ways. As<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> -it is, we must confine ourselves to a few, and have selected the three -water-birds named above all of which have been of service to man in -some way.</p> - -<p>The Stork is not a tame bird in the sense of being kept about the -household, but it has so long been taken care of and laws made to -protect it, that it has grown very familiar and may be seen walking -about the streets of Holland, even among crowds of people, without a -show of fear. No one wants it for food, for its flesh is not good, and -it does so much service by eating frogs, snakes and other troublesome -animals, that every one feels friendly towards it.</p> - -<p>It also struts about in the market places and keeps them clean -and fresh by eating all the offal. Thus it plays the part of the -turkey-buzzard of our Southern cities, which is taken care of for the -same reason.</p> - -<p>The Common Stork of the Old World countries is a large bird, -long-legged and long-necked. It is pure white in color, except that -the wings are partly black and the bill and legs are red. It sleeps -standing on one leg, with the neck folded and the head turned back on -the shoulders. If alarmed, as when a dog comes near, it makes a loud -snapping noise with its bill.</p> - -<p>The stork spends the winter in Africa and flies back in the summer -to Europe, where it is very common in Holland and North Germany. Its -feeding place is in the marshes, where it wades<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span> about, eating the -frogs and other small animals to be found there. It is very fond of -eels and will follow people about the streets who feed it on this -favorite morsel. It has a way of asking for food by nodding its head, -flapping its wings, and blowing the air from its lungs.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_329"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_329.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Stork in its Feeding Grounds</p> - </div> - -<p>Of a mild and peaceful disposition, the stork has long been much cared -for and a halo of romance clings round it, coming down from ancient -times. This arises from its devotion to its young, which brings it -into esteem in various countries.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span> It builds its nest on the roofs or -chimneys of houses or the steeples of churches, the nest being a bunch -of sticks, reeds and other debris. In the ruined cities of Asia a -stork's nest may be seen on the top of nearly every standing pillar.</p> - -<p>In Holland and many other parts of Europe it is common to put a box -on the roof for the stork, and when the inmates find that a stork has -built in their box they are glad, for they think it will bring good -luck to the family. When a new baby comes to the household, children -are told that the stork has brought it out of the well, and thus the -young grow to like the stork. Four or five eggs are laid in the stork's -nest, of white color tinged with buff, and the birds are apt to come -back to the same nest year after year.</p> - -<p>The stork not only shows great fondness for its young, but is also -thought to take much care of its aged parents. Whether this is true -or not, it adds to the affection people have for this bird. When the -summer is over and it is time to fly south, the birds gather in large -flocks as if to talk the matter over. The stork, indeed, has no voice, -but it makes a great clatter with its bill. The meeting over, the flock -flies off for the far-away tropics, the birds rising very high and -making a loud rushing noise with their wings. They are gone, to be seen -no more until the next summer is at hand.</p> - -<p>Now let us take up the story of the Cormorant,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span> one of the web-footed -swimming and fishing birds, of which so many kinds dwell about the -waters of the world. They belong to the same family as the pelicans, -but while the pelican has a great net, or fish basket, under its lower -bill, the cormorant has only a small one, not big enough to hold many -fish.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_331"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_331.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Cormorant, the Fishing Bird of China</p> - </div> - -<p>The cormorants are great fish-eaters, so much so that it is common to -call any large eater a cormorant. There are many species, some small, -some large, living on the shores of islands and in some cases along -rivers.</p> - -<p>The way in which this bird is of service to man is in its being tamed -and trained to catch fish for him. This used to be done in England and -is still done in China. How it is done may be told in a few words.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span></p> - -<p>The bird is easily tamed by the Chinese fishermen and is trained by -them for its new duty. While being trained a string is tied to its leg -so as to control its movements. Then small fish are thrown out and -it springs after them. In time it learns to go into the water when a -whistle is given and to come back when it hears a different whistle. -After three or four weeks of this training the bird is ready for duty -and no longer needs a string to hold it.</p> - -<p>The birds become in time as docile as dogs and obey every order of -their masters. When put regularly to work a small ring of hemp is tied -around their throats, so that they cannot swallow large fish. When the -fisherman rows out into the water the birds sit quietly on the side of -the boat until they get his orders. Then into the water they dash and -usually come up with a fish, which they bring to him.</p> - -<p>If one comes up with a fish too large to handle, another bird, -sometimes several birds, will come to his aid and help him to land -the prize. Sometimes one of them takes a lazy fit and swims about the -water, paying no heed to business. Then the fisherman shouts at the -idle bird and strikes the water with his oar, keeping this up till it -dives for prey.</p> - -<p>At the end of the day's work the ring on the bird's neck is loosened or -taken off and some of the fish are given it or it is allowed to fish -for itself.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span> Like the stork, the cormorant is very fond of eels, and -when one of them comes up with an eel there is often a fight between -two or three of them for the prize.</p> - -<p>There is another bird on our list, the Albatross. It has never been -tamed and cannot be said to be of service to man. At least I can name -only one instance. In this case the bird is said to have been used to -carry a message from shipwrecked sailors, telling where they could be -found and asking for help. I cannot say whether this story is true or -not, but it leads us to say something about this famous bird of the -waves.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_333"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_333.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">The Albatross swooping over the ocean waves</p> - </div> - -<p>The albatross is a wonderful flyer. It is the largest of the web-footed -birds, being four feet long and with a wing spread of from ten to -seventeen feet. It seems to float or glide on the air<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span> rather than fly, -hardly moving its long wings except when rising from the water.</p> - -<p>It often follows ships for a long time; day after day, some people say, -but this is doubtful. No ship can outsail it and it is said to be able -to fly as much as eight hundred miles in a day. Sailors often fish -for it with a baited hook, but find it hard to haul in, as it often -draws out the hook or breaks the line. But a bait of blubber is very -attractive and in a few minutes the same bird will take the hook again. -Only by catching a fish in some such way as this could a message tied -to its legs by shipwrecked sailors be found.</p> - -<p>Sailors have long had a superstition about shooting the albatross, -fearing that it would bring ill luck to the ship and its crew. All who -can do so would do well to read Coleridge's famous poem of the "Ancient -Mariner," in which the men who "shot the albatross" brought terrible -misfortune to the ship and all on board.</p> - - -<h3>THE HONEY-GIVING BEE</h3> - -<p>There is only one other animal of which I shall speak as a servant or -aid of man, this time an insect, the well-known hive bee, which every -one of you must have seen, and like enough many of you may have felt, -for this little fellow has a very "hot foot."</p> - -<p>The bee cannot be called a <i>tame</i> animal. Although it lives with man -and under his care, it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span> does not know this but fancies that it is -working for itself alone. And the honey which man gets from it is laid -up by the busy bee for its own use. It has no notion of working for -man, but is robbed by him of its sweet stores.</p> - -<p>Among all the wild animals that are of service to man this little -humming insect stands first. Nimble, active, always at work, always -singing over its work, the happiest of the working class, it keeps -itself busy through all the season of flowers in gathering honey from -their cups and carrying it to store away in its neat cells of wax. It -is a winter store of food it is laying up. By good fortune the bees are -able to collect more than they need for their own use, so their keepers -can take part of it and still leave the little workers enough to live -on the winter through.</p> - -<p>The bee has been working in this way for man during long ages. Go far -back in time and you will find writers telling about the bees and their -ways. The Greek and Roman writers tell us much about them,—some of it -fancy, some of it fact,—and within later times these useful insects -have been much studied and written about.</p> - -<p>I do not propose to tell the story of the bee, for it is much too -long a one to be given in this place. All I need speak of here is the -service it renders to man. There are many varieties of bees but only -one, the hive bee, is of interest to us in this story, for it is the -only one that works for us.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span></p> - -<p>What we do for the bee is to supply it a home to live in, a cage or -hive in which it may dwell, take care of its young, and lay up a store -of its sweet food. How all this is done is very interesting. There is -nothing in nature more neatly built than the waxen comb of the bee, and -no prettier dish for our tables than a comb full of the golden honey. -And there is nothing which most of us like better to eat. So it is the -comb of the bee that I shall speak of here, rather than the bee itself.</p> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_336"> - <img - class="p2" - src="images/i_336.jpg" - alt="" /> - <p class="p0 center p-left sm">An Opened Bee Hive Showing the Clustering Bees</p> - </div> - -<p>The bee goes abroad for honey, but the wax which it uses for the comb -is formed in its own body. It comes out from a sort of wax-pocket in -the lower part of the body, is scraped up by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> the legs and carried to -the mouth. Here it is well chewed and then laid on the floor for the -use of the comb-builders.</p> - -<p>From this wax the bees build a series of six-sided cells, laid side by -side, some of them to hold honey, others as cradles for the young. They -are fastened to the walls and hang downward. It is well to say here -that there is only one egg-layer in the hive. This is called the queen -bee. The others are workers and drones. The workers store up food, the -drones (the male bees) do nothing but eat it. This the workers let -them do while the summer lasts and food is plenty, but they do not let -them spend the winter in the hive, eating the food which they have not -helped to gather. When the summer season is over they drive the drones -from the hive and sting them to death.</p> - -<p>Is there a lesson for us in this habit of the bees? They have no room -in the hives for those who do no work, and kill them on the spot rather -than let them starve or freeze. While we could not do a thing like -this, it might be well if everybody was made to work for the food they -eat, as the bees do.</p> - -<p>Now let us come back to the waxen cells, built so neatly and packed -into the hive so closely that no man could do it better. Some of these, -as I have said, are cradles for the young; some are store-houses for -food. The queen bee is a wonderful egg layer. For every egg laid by the -hen she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span> will lay several hundred, each in a cell of its own. From the -egg comes a little maggot, which feeds on the honey and pollen given it -till it swells into a fat little worm. Then it builds around itself a -cocoon of fine silk, in which it lies hid while it is going through the -process of changing from a worm into a bee. In the end it comes out a -winged insect, ready to take its part in the business of the hive.</p> - -<p>Egg-laying is the work of the queen; food gathering is that of the -workers. As soon as warm weather comes and blossoms open on bushes and -trees, the bees may be seen at work, visiting flower after flower and -sucking up by aid of the tongue the sweet juice to be found in so many -flower cups. This is partly used for food, but much of it is stored in -the honey bag of the bee to be carried to the hive and laid away in the -honey cells.</p> - -<p>As the season goes on new plants bear blossoms, so that all through -the blossom season the busy bees find plenty of their sweet food. -Another thing they collect is the pollen of the flowers. This clings to -the hairs of the body while they are at work in the blossoms, and is -cleaned off by the jaws and feet, a little honey being mixed with it. -In this way little pellets are formed which are used as food for the -young. On this rich food the little ones soon grow fat.</p> - -<p>Another thing gathered by the bee is a sticky substance called -<i>propolis</i>. It is used as a cement,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span> to varnish the combs and stop up -all holes. The bees carry this home on their legs and the workers in -the hive clean it off and use it while it is soft to cover up all weak -spots.</p> - -<p>I have said that the wax is formed in the body of the bee. The same may -be said of the poison. This flows into the sting, and by its aid the -bee is able to defend itself, not only against its natural enemies, but -against artificial ones, like meddlesome boys. But the sting is barbed, -so that the bee often fails to draw it back after using it. Thus the -sting is pulled from the body and the bee dies from the wound.</p> - -<p>For long ages men have kept bees, making hives for them. Every season -new swarms come from the old hives and are brought in various ways to -start fresh colonies in new ones. Hives have been made of many things, -often of straw, which was long used in England. To get the honey from -these the bees were first killed by the fumes of sulphur. It seems a -cruel thing to kill them in order to rob them, and it is not now done.</p> - -<p>In our country the straw hive has never been used. The hives now in use -have frames on which combs may be built and filled with honey and then -drawn out, leaving the lower combs for the bees' own use. There is a -process by which the honey can be drawn from the combs without breaking -them in any way, so that they may be filled again by the bees. As in -this case they do not have to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> make new combs the active insects can -soon fill the old ones again.</p> - -<p>Little more remains to be said. There are certain flowers which yield -honey of fine flavor, such as those of the heather, the white clover, -the buckwheat, the rosemary and the orange-flower. In ancient times the -most famous honey was that of Mount Hybla in Sicily and Mount Hymettus -in Greece. In our own days the countries in which bee-farming is -carried on most largely are the United States and Canada, and of this -country, Southern California is the paradise of the beekeeper.</p> - -<p>On some bee farms are from two thousand to three thousand hives and it -is said that as much as seven hundred pounds of honey have been taken -from one hive. Thus this little buzzing insect is one of the most -active and able of the animals that help to feed and serve us, and with -the busy bee we may close our list of man's Animal Friends and Helpers.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span></p></div> - - -<h2 class="smcap">Index</h2> - - <div class="figcenter" id="i_340" > - <img - class="p0" - src="images/i_340.jpg" - alt="" /> - </div> - - -<p class="p-index">A</p> - -<ul> - <li>Albatross, the, - <a href="#Page_333">333</a>, - <a href="#Page_334">334</a></li> - <li>Alderney cattle, - <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> - <li>Alligator, the, - <a href="#Page_326">326</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">story of a tame one, - <a href="#Page_327">327</a></li> - <li>Alpaca, the, - <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, - <a href="#Page_113">113</a></li> - <li>Anecdotes of the dog, - <a href="#Page_29">29-39</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the cat, - <a href="#Page_49">49-51</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the horse, - <a href="#Page_82">82-85</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the mule, - <a href="#Page_85">85</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the elephant, - <a href="#Page_121">121-132</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the pig, - <a href="#Page_174">174</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of song-birds, - <a href="#Page_225">225</a>, - <a href="#Page_226">226</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the parrot, - <a href="#Page_232">232-236</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the raven, - <a href="#Page_236">236</a>, - <a href="#Page_237">237</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the jackdaw, - <a href="#Page_238">238-240</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the crow, - <a href="#Page_240">240</a>, - <a href="#Page_241">241</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the starling, - <a href="#Page_241">241-246</a>;</li> - <li class="hangingindent">of the monkey, - <a href="#Page_250">250</a>, - <a href="#Page_255">255</a>, - <a href="#Page_257">257</a>, - <a href="#Page_259">259</a>, - <a href="#Page_262">262</a>, - <a href="#Page_263">263</a>, - <a href="#Page_266">266</a>, - <a href="#Page_267">267-282</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of snakes, - <a href="#Page_291">291</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the squirrel, - <a href="#Page_307">307-309</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the bear, - <a href="#Page_321">321</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the seal, - <a href="#Page_325">325</a>, - <a href="#Page_326">326</a></li> - <li>Angora cat, the, - <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - <li>Angora goat, the, - <a href="#Page_165">165</a></li> - <li>Angora rabbit, - <a href="#Page_52">52</a></li> - <li>Animals of the household, - <a href="#Page_13">13-15</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the earth, - <a href="#Page_283">283-285</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of the aquarium, - <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> - <li>Animals, varied uses of, - <a href="#Page_133">133</a></li> - <li>Apes, man-like, - <a href="#Page_260">260-262</a></li> - <li>Aquarium, pets of the, - <a href="#Page_286">286</a></li> - <li>Arab horse, the, - <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, - <a href="#Page_79">79-81</a></li> - <li>Arabia, falconry in, - <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> - <li>Arabian camel, - <a href="#Page_104">104</a>, - <a href="#Page_109">109</a></li> - <li>Armadillo, the, - <a href="#Page_300">300</a>, - <a href="#Page_304">304</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a pet, - <a href="#Page_305">305</a>, - <a href="#Page_306">306</a></li> - <li>Ass, the wild, - <a href="#Page_87">87-88</a></li> - <li>Astrakhan fur, - <a href="#Page_155">155</a></li> - <li>Aylesbury duck, - <a href="#Page_189">189</a></li> - <li>Ayrshire cows, - <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">B</p> - -<ul> - <li>Bactrian camel, - <a href="#Page_104">104</a>, - <a href="#Page_109">109</a></li> - <li>Bantam fowls, - <a href="#Page_183">183</a></li> - <li>Bear, the, - <a href="#Page_319">319</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">intelligence of, - <a href="#Page_321">321</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in Yellowstone Park, - <a href="#Page_322">322</a></li> - <li>Bee, the, - <a href="#Page_334">334</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_335">335</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">combs and honey, - <a href="#Page_336">336</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">cell building, - <a href="#Page_337">337</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">labors of, - <a href="#Page_338">338</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">hives and swarming, - <a href="#Page_339">339</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">the honey harvest, - <a href="#Page_340">340</a></li> - <li>Beef, American, - <a href="#Page_141">141</a></li> - <li>Big-horn sheep, - <a href="#Page_152">152</a></li> - <li>Bird of Juno, - <a href="#Page_206">206</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">bird of Venus, - <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> - <li>Birds, trick, - <a href="#Page_229">229</a>, - <a href="#Page_230">230</a></li> - <li>Bison, the, - <a href="#Page_97">97</a></li> - <li>Blackbird, the English, - <a href="#Page_226">226</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_226">226</a>, - <a href="#Page_227">227</a></li> - <li>Boa-constrictor, the, - <a href="#Page_290">290-293</a></li> - <li>Brahma fowls, - <a href="#Page_179">179</a></li> - <li>Buffalo, the, - <a href="#Page_96">96</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a worker, - <a href="#Page_98">98-99</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_99">99-100</a></li> - <li>Bulbul, the, - <a href="#Page_228">228</a></li> - <li>Bull, the, - <a href="#Page_134">134</a></li> - <li>Bull-fighting, - <a href="#Page_145">145-149</a></li> - <li>Bullfinch, the, - <a href="#Page_224">224</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdote of, - <a href="#Page_225">225</a></li> - <li>Burro, the, - <a href="#Page_89">89</a></li> - <li>Butter, - <a href="#Page_137">137</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">making of, - <a href="#Page_140">140</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">C</p> - -<ul> - <li>Cage-birds, - <a href="#Page_217">217</a>, - <a href="#Page_218">218</a></li> - <li>Camel, the, - <a href="#Page_103">103</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">its fitness for desert life, - <a href="#Page_105">105</a>, - <a href="#Page_106">106</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a worker, - <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">intellect of, - <a href="#Page_109">109</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">uses of, - <a href="#Page_110">110</a></li> - <li>Canary, the, - <a href="#Page_218">218</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_219">219</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">song of, - <a href="#Page_220">220</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">breeds of, - <a href="#Page_221">221</a></li> - <li>Carabao, the, - <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, - <a href="#Page_99">99</a></li> - <li>Caribou, the, - <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, - <a href="#Page_102">102</a></li> - <li>Carrier pigeon, the, - <a href="#Page_211">211-213</a></li> - <li>Cashmere goat, the, - <a href="#Page_164">164</a></li> - <li>Cat, habits of the, - <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, - <a href="#Page_45">45</a>, - <a href="#Page_46">46</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">ancient, - <a href="#Page_23">23</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">treatment of, - <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, - <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">origin of, - <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">cat and mouse, - <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">cat and dog, - <a href="#Page_46">46</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">varieties of, - <a href="#Page_47">47-48</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_49">49-51</a></li> - <li>Cat-bird, the, - <a href="#Page_224">224</a></li> - <li>Cattle, - <a href="#Page_134">134</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">wild, - <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">colors of, - <a href="#Page_136">136</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">uses of, - <a href="#Page_136">136-141</a>, - <a href="#Page_145">145</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in United States, - <a href="#Page_143">143</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in other countries, - <a href="#Page_144">144</a></li> - <li>Chameleon, the, - <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> - <li>Chamois, the, - <a href="#Page_159">159</a></li> - <li>Chariot races, ancient, - <a href="#Page_70">70-71</a></li> - <li>Cheese, - <a href="#Page_138">138</a>, - <a href="#Page_141">141</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">from sheep, - <a href="#Page_155">155</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">from goat, - <a href="#Page_160">160</a></li> - <li>Chicken, uses of the, - <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, - <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> - <li>Chimpanzee, anecdote of the, - <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> - <li>China, hawking in, - <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> - <li>Chinese pig, the, - <a href="#Page_172">172</a></li> - <li>Christmas goose, the, - <a href="#Page_192">192</a></li> - <li>Christmas turkey, the, - <a href="#Page_195">195</a></li> - <li>Cloven-hoofed animals, - <a href="#Page_92">92-132</a></li> - <li>Cobra, the, - <a href="#Page_293">293</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a house guard, - <a href="#Page_295">295</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">charming of, - <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> - <li>Cochin-china fowls, - <a href="#Page_179">179</a></li> - <li>Cock, morning call of the, - <a href="#Page_176">176</a>, - <a href="#Page_177">177</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">its fighting habits, - <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - <li>Collie, the, - <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - <li>Cormorant, the, - <a href="#Page_331">331</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">fishing with, - <a href="#Page_332">332</a></li> - <li>Cow, the, - <a href="#Page_134">134</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">uses of, - <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">milk-giving, - <a href="#Page_136">136</a>, - <a href="#Page_138">138</a>, - <a href="#Page_139">139</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in United States, - <a href="#Page_142">142</a></li> - <li>Creameries, - <a href="#Page_140">140</a></li> - <li>Crow, thefts of the, - <a href="#Page_240">240</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdote of, - <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> - <li>Crows, the monkey and the, - <a href="#Page_252">252</a>, - <a href="#Page_253">253</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">D</p> - -<ul> - <li>Deserts of Asia and Africa, - <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, - <a href="#Page_103">103</a></li> - <li>Dick Turpin's horse, - <a href="#Page_65">65</a></li> - <li>Dog, man's friend, - <a href="#Page_15">15</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of the, - <a href="#Page_29">29-39</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">eulogy on the, - <a href="#Page_39">39-41</a></li> - <li>Dog wit and wisdom, - <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> - <li>Dogs, ancient, - <a href="#Page_16">16</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">origin of, - <a href="#Page_17">17</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">kinds of, - <a href="#Page_19">19</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">hunting, - <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">working, - <a href="#Page_21">21</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">sheep, - <a href="#Page_22">22</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">cur, - <a href="#Page_23">23</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">watch, - <a href="#Page_24">24</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">pet, - <a href="#Page_24">24-29</a></li> - <li>Domestic animals, origin of, - <a href="#Page_284">284</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in America, - <a href="#Page_285">285</a></li> - <li>Donkey, the, - <a href="#Page_86">86</a>, - <a href="#Page_88">88</a></li> - <li>Dove, the, - <a href="#Page_207">207</a></li> - <li>Dromedary, the, - <a href="#Page_108">108</a></li> - <li>Duck, habits of the, - <a href="#Page_186">186</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">food of, - <a href="#Page_187">187</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">the young, - <a href="#Page_188">188</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">where kept, - <a href="#Page_189">189</a></li> - <li>Dutch rabbit, - <a href="#Page_53">53</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">E</p> - -<ul> - <li>Egg-harvest, the world's, - <a href="#Page_181">181</a>, - <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> - <li>Elephant, the, - <a href="#Page_117">117</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">taming of, - <a href="#Page_178">178</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a worker, - <a href="#Page_119">119</a>, - <a href="#Page_120">120</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">caution of, - <a href="#Page_121">121</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">mental powers of, - <a href="#Page_124">124</a>, - <a href="#Page_131">131</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_124">124-132</a></li> - <li>Eskimo dogs, - <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, - <a href="#Page_113">113-117</a></li> - <li>Eulogy on the dog, Senator Vest's, - <a href="#Page_39">39-41</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">F</p> - -<ul> - <li>Falcon, the, - <a href="#Page_309">309</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">legend of, - <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">varieties of, - <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">taming of, - <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - <li>Falconry, - <a href="#Page_309">309</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in ancient times, - <a href="#Page_310">310</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in Asia, - <a href="#Page_311">311</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">legend of, - <a href="#Page_312">312</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">mediæval, - <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">method of, - <a href="#Page_314">314</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">a modern instance, - <a href="#Page_315">315</a></li> - <li>Famous men, pets of, - <a href="#Page_60">60</a></li> - <li>Fat-tailed sheep, the, - <a href="#Page_153">153</a></li> - <li>Ferret, the, - <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, - <a href="#Page_57">57</a></li> - <li>Fishes, aquarium, - <a href="#Page_286">286-289</a></li> - <li>Flea, the learned, - <a href="#Page_285">285</a></li> - <li>Foes of animals, - <a href="#Page_92">92-94</a></li> - <li>Foot of the horse, - <a href="#Page_63">63</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">G</p> - -<ul> - <li>Game-cock, the, - <a href="#Page_182">182-183</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">cock-fighting, - <a href="#Page_184">184-186</a></li> - <li>Gellert, the faithful, - <a href="#Page_311">311</a></li> - <li>Gerfalcon, the, - <a href="#Page_313">313</a></li> - <li>Giant goose, the, - <a href="#Page_191">191</a></li> - <li>Giant rabbit, - <a href="#Page_54">54</a></li> - <li>Gibbon, training of the, - <a href="#Page_262">262</a></li> - <li>Goat, the, - <a href="#Page_158">158</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">its climbing habits, - <a href="#Page_159">159</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">where kept, - <a href="#Page_160">160</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">grazing habits of, - <a href="#Page_161">161</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">its mental powers, - <a href="#Page_161">161</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">its uses, - <a href="#Page_162">162-165</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">hunt of, - <a href="#Page_131">131</a></li> - <li>Goat-skins, uses of, - <a href="#Page_163">163</a></li> - <li>Gold-fish, the, - <a href="#Page_287">287</a></li> - <li>Goose, food of the, - <a href="#Page_189">189</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">egg-laying of, - <a href="#Page_190">190</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">strength of, - <a href="#Page_191">191</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdote of, - <a href="#Page_191">191</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">uses of, - <a href="#Page_192">192</a></li> - <li>Goshawk, the, - <a href="#Page_313">313</a></li> - <li>Great Dane, the, - <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> - <li>Grosbeak, the Virginia nightingale, - <a href="#Page_228">228</a></li> - <li>Guinea-fowl, the, - <a href="#Page_198">198</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">its habits, - <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> - <li>Guinea-pig, the, - <a href="#Page_57">57</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">H</p> - -<ul> - <li>Hawk, the, - <a href="#Page_309">309</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">kinds of, - <a href="#Page_313">313</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">taming of, - <a href="#Page_314">314</a></li> - <li>Hawking, - <a href="#Page_309">309-316</a></li> - <li>Hedgehog, the, - <a href="#Page_58">58</a>, - <a href="#Page_300">300</a>, - <a href="#Page_302">302</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a house pet, - <a href="#Page_303">303</a></li> - <li>Hen, vocal powers of the, - <a href="#Page_178">178</a></li> - <li>Hermit-thrush, - <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> - <li>Holstein cows, - <a href="#Page_139">139</a></li> - <li>Home comrades, - <a href="#Page_13">13-15</a></li> - <li>Hoof, the horse's, - <a href="#Page_63">63</a></li> - <li>Horse, the, - <a href="#Page_61">61-82</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of the, - <a href="#Page_82">82-85</a></li> - <li>Horseback riding, - <a href="#Page_71">71</a></li> - <li>Horse-breaking, - <a href="#Page_78">78</a></li> - <li>Horse tamer, the, - <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, - <a href="#Page_78">78</a></li> - <li>Horses of the steppes, - <a href="#Page_64">64</a>, - <a href="#Page_65">65</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of Persia, Arabia and Russia, - <a href="#Page_66">66</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of Western Europe, - <a href="#Page_67">67</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">of America, - <a href="#Page_69">69</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_82">82-85</a></li> - <li>Hounds, varieties of, - <a href="#Page_20">20</a></li> - <li>Hunting horses, - <a href="#Page_73">73</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">I</p> - -<ul> - <li>Ibex, the, - <a href="#Page_159">159</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">J</p> - -<ul> - <li>Jackal, the, - <a href="#Page_18">18</a></li> - <li>Jackdaw, talking powers of the, - <a href="#Page_238">238</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_238">238-240</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">K</p> - -<ul> - <li>Kangaroo, the, - <a href="#Page_59">59</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">L</p> - -<ul> - <li>Lapland reindeer, the, - <a href="#Page_101">101</a></li> - <li>Llama, the, - <a href="#Page_111">111-113</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">M</p> - -<ul> - <li>Magpie, talking powers of the, - <a href="#Page_238">238</a></li> - <li>Malay cat, the, - <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - <li>Manx cat, the, - <a href="#Page_47">47</a></li> - <li>Mastiff, the, - <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> - <li>Mavis, the, - <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> - <li>Merino sheep, the, - <a href="#Page_154">154</a></li> - <li>Milk, - <a href="#Page_137">137</a>, - <a href="#Page_141">141</a>, - <a href="#Page_162">162</a></li> - <li>Minnow, the, - <a href="#Page_288">288</a></li> - <li>Missel-thrush, the, - <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> - <li>Mocking-bird, the, - <a href="#Page_222">222</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">imitative powers of, - <a href="#Page_223">223</a>, - <a href="#Page_228">228</a></li> - <li>Mohair wool, - <a href="#Page_165">165</a></li> - <li>Mongoose, the, - <a href="#Page_297">297</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in Jamaica, - <a href="#Page_298">298</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a house pet, - <a href="#Page_299">299</a>, - <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> - <li>Monkey, organ-grinder and, - <a href="#Page_247">247</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a pet, - <a href="#Page_248">248</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">fondness of, for mischief, - <a href="#Page_249">249</a>, - <a href="#Page_280">280</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">revengeful spirit of, - <a href="#Page_250">250-253</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">powers of imitation, - <a href="#Page_253">253</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_254">254</a>, - <a href="#Page_255">255</a>, - <a href="#Page_270">270-282</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">intelligence of, - <a href="#Page_256">256</a>, - <a href="#Page_260">260</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">varieties of, - <a href="#Page_259">259</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">self-teaching of, - <a href="#Page_264">264-270</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">feeling and friendliness of, - <a href="#Page_273">273</a></li> - <li>Mule, the, - <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, - <a href="#Page_90">90</a>, - <a href="#Page_91">91</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">N</p> - -<ul> - <li>Newfoundland dog, the, - <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> - <li>Night, noises of the, - <a href="#Page_176">176</a></li> - <li>Nightingale, the, - <a href="#Page_228">228</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">O</p> - -<ul> - <li>Orang-outang, intelligence of the, - <a href="#Page_266">266</a></li> - <li>Organ-grinder's monkey, the, - <a href="#Page_247">247</a></li> - <li>Ostrich, the, - <a href="#Page_214">214</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">farms of, - <a href="#Page_215">215</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">feathers of, - <a href="#Page_216">216</a></li> - <li>Otter, the, - <a href="#Page_58">58</a>, - <a href="#Page_59">59</a></li> - <li>Ox, the, - <a href="#Page_94">94</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">P</p> - -<ul> - <li>Parrot, the, - <a href="#Page_230">230</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">intelligence of, - <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">talking powers, - <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_232">232-236</a></li> - <li>Peacock, the, - <a href="#Page_204">204</a>, - <a href="#Page_205">205</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> - <li>Peary and his dogs, - <a href="#Page_115">115-117</a></li> - <li>Pekin duck, the, - <a href="#Page_189">189</a></li> - <li>Peregrine falcons, - <a href="#Page_313">313</a>, - <a href="#Page_315">315</a></li> - <li>Persian cat, the, - <a href="#Page_48">48</a></li> - <li>Philippine cock-fight, a, - <a href="#Page_185">185</a></li> - <li>Pig, character of the, - <a href="#Page_165">165-168</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">food of the, - <a href="#Page_168">168</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">how kept, - <a href="#Page_169">169</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">flesh of, - <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">uses of, - <a href="#Page_172">172</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">mental powers of, - <a href="#Page_173">173</a></li> - <li>Pigeon, the, - <a href="#Page_209">209</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">bird of Venus, - <a href="#Page_208">208</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">nest building of, - <a href="#Page_209">209</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_210">210</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">kinds of, - <a href="#Page_211">211-213</a></li> - <li>Plymouth Rock fowls, - <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> - <li>Ponies, Shetland, - <a href="#Page_67">67</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">Scandinavian, - <a href="#Page_68">68</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">Greek, - <a href="#Page_69">69</a></li> - <li>Poodles, the, - <a href="#Page_28">28</a></li> - <li>Porcupine, the, - <a href="#Page_300">300</a></li> - <li>Pork as food, - <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">fondness of the Romans for, - <a href="#Page_171">171</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">where now eaten, - <a href="#Page_171">171</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">American yield of, - <a href="#Page_172">172</a></li> - <li>Pouter pigeon, the, - <a href="#Page_211">211</a></li> - <li>Prairie dog, the, - <a href="#Page_60">60</a></li> - <li>Pug, the, - <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> - <li>Python, the, - <a href="#Page_290">290</a>, - <a href="#Page_291">291</a>, - <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">Q</p> - -<ul> - <li>Quagga, the, - <a href="#Page_90">90</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">R</p> - -<ul> - <li>Rabbit, the, - <a href="#Page_52">52-56</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">varieties of, - <a href="#Page_53">53</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">care of, - <a href="#Page_55">55</a></li> - <li>Race-courses, - <a href="#Page_71">71</a></li> - <li>Racing horse, the, - <a href="#Page_70">70-73</a></li> - <li>Ram, fighting powers of the, - <a href="#Page_150">150</a></li> - <li>Rat, the Jamaican, - <a href="#Page_298">298</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">as a pet, - <a href="#Page_301">301</a>, - <a href="#Page_302">302</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">egg and oil stealing, - <a href="#Page_302">302</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">armadillo attack on, - <a href="#Page_304">304</a></li> - <li>Raven, talking powers of the, - <a href="#Page_236">236</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdote of, - <a href="#Page_237">237</a></li> - <li>Reindeer, the, - <a href="#Page_100">100-102</a></li> - <li>Rouen ducks, the, - <a href="#Page_188">188</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">S</p> - -<ul> - <li>Seal, the, - <a href="#Page_323">323</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">taming of, - <a href="#Page_325">325</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_325">325</a>, - <a href="#Page_326">326</a></li> - <li>Sheep, the, - <a href="#Page_149">149</a>, - <a href="#Page_150">150</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">uses of, - <a href="#Page_151">151</a>, - <a href="#Page_154">154-156</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_152">152</a>, - <a href="#Page_153">153</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">where kept, - <a href="#Page_153">153</a>, - <a href="#Page_154">154</a></li> - <li>Sheep dog, the, - <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> - <li>Shepherd's dog, story of the, - <a href="#Page_36">36</a></li> - <li>Shetland pony, the, - <a href="#Page_67">67</a></li> - <li>Single-hoofed animals, - <a href="#Page_61">61-90</a></li> - <li>Skylark, the, - <a href="#Page_227">227</a></li> - <li>Snake-charmer, the, - <a href="#Page_293">293</a>, - <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> - <li>Snake-dance, the, - <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> - <li>Snakes, - <a href="#Page_289">289</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">poisonous kinds, - <a href="#Page_290">290</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">taming of, - <a href="#Page_291">291</a>, - <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">charming of, - <a href="#Page_293">293-296</a></li> - <li>Song-thrush, the, - <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> - <li>Southdown sheep, the, - <a href="#Page_154">154</a></li> - <li>Spain, bull-fights in, - <a href="#Page_145">145-149</a></li> - <li>Spaniel, the, - <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> - <li>Sparrowhawk, the, - <a href="#Page_313">313</a></li> - <li>Squirrel, the, - <a href="#Page_306">306</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdotes of, - <a href="#Page_307">307-309</a></li> - <li class="hangingindent1">Starling, whistling and talking powers of the, - <a href="#Page_241">241</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdote of the, - <a href="#Page_242">242-246</a></li> - <li>St. Bernard dog, the, - <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> - <li>Stickleback, the, - <a href="#Page_288">288</a>, - <a href="#Page_289">289</a></li> - <li>Stork, the, - <a href="#Page_328">328</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_329">329</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">nest building of, - <a href="#Page_330">330</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">popular affection for, - <a href="#Page_330">330</a></li> - <li>Swan, beauty of the, - <a href="#Page_199">199</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">varieties of, - <a href="#Page_200">200</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">American species of, - <a href="#Page_200">200</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">habits of, - <a href="#Page_201">201</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">eggs and nests of, - <a href="#Page_202">202</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">anecdote of, - <a href="#Page_203">203</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">T</p> - -<ul> - <li>Terriers, - <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, - <a href="#Page_29">29</a></li> - <li>Trotting-horse, the, - <a href="#Page_72">72</a></li> - <li>Tumbler pigeon, the, - <a href="#Page_211">211</a></li> - <li>Turkey, species of the, - <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">its habits, - <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">where kept, - <a href="#Page_195">195</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">a Christmas dainty, - <a href="#Page_195">195</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">in France, - <a href="#Page_196">196</a></li> - <li>Turnspit, the, - <a href="#Page_38">38</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">W</p> - -<ul> - <li>War-horse, the, - <a href="#Page_74">74-75</a></li> - <li>Weasel, the, - <a href="#Page_58">58</a></li> - <li>White rat, a tame, - <a href="#Page_301">301</a>, - <a href="#Page_302">302</a>, - <a href="#Page_304">304</a></li> - <li>Wild animals in captivity, - <a href="#Page_317">317</a>, - <a href="#Page_318">318</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">treaty of peace with, - <a href="#Page_322">322</a></li> - <li>Wild-hog, the, - <a href="#Page_165">165</a>, - <a href="#Page_166">166</a></li> - <li>Wild-horse, the, - <a href="#Page_62">62</a></li> - <li>Wild-turkey, habits of the, - <a href="#Page_193">193</a></li> - <li>Wolf, the, - <a href="#Page_17">17</a></li> - <li>Wood-thrush, the, - <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> - <li>Wool, origin and use of, - <a href="#Page_151">151</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">shearing of, - <a href="#Page_156">156</a>;</li> - <li class="i1">uses of, - <a href="#Page_157">157</a>, - <a href="#Page_158">158</a></li> - <li>Working-horse, the, - <a href="#Page_75">75-76</a></li> - <li>Wyandotte fowls, - <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">Y</p> - -<ul> - <li>Yak, the, - <a href="#Page_95">95</a></li> - <li>Yellowstone Park, wild animals in, - <a href="#Page_322">322</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="p-index">Z</p> - -<ul> - <li>Zebra, the, - <a href="#Page_89">89</a></li> - <li>Zebu, the, - <a href="#Page_96">96</a></li> -</ul> - -<p class="transnote">Transcriber's Note:<br /> - -Spelling and punctuation errors have been silently corrected.</p> - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Home Life in All Lands--Book -III--Animal Friends and Helpers, by Charles Morris - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOME LIFE IN ALL LANDS--BOOK 3 *** - -***** This file should be named 62537-h.htm or 62537-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/5/3/62537/ - -Produced by MFR, Karin Spence and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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