ORPHEUS AND HIS LUTE.From the painting by J. C. Dollman.THE POLAR BEAR BEGSLION-MARMOSETS OF BRAZIL
ORPHEUS AND HIS LUTE.From the painting by J. C. Dollman.
ORPHEUS AND HIS LUTE.
From the painting by J. C. Dollman.
THE POLAR BEAR BEGS
THE POLAR BEAR BEGS
LION-MARMOSETS OF BRAZIL
LION-MARMOSETS OF BRAZIL
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMALS
TABULAR VIEW OF REPRESENTATIVE ANIMAL TYPES
ANIMALS IN CLASSIFIED GROUPS:
I.Wild Animals:
II.Domesticated Animals:
PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY OF SCIENTIFIC TERMS CONCERNING ANIMALS
WORLD MAP SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMAL LIFE
MAP OF THE WORLD SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMAL LIFE
MAP OF THE WORLD SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMAL LIFE
Large map(318 kB)
THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMALS.MAMMALS:The Monkey Tribe;Animals of Prey;Hoofed Animals;Gnawing Animals;Thick-skinned Animals;Toothless Animals;Pouched Animals;Flying Mammals;The Seal Family;Whales.BIRDS:Song Birds;Birds of Prey;Game Birds;Running Birds;Wading Birds;Swimming Birds.CROCODILES AND OTHER REPTILES.FROGS AND OTHER AMPHIBIA.FISHES.LOBSTERS AND CRABS.INSECTS:Beetles,Butterflies and Moths;Ants; Bees and Wasps;Spiders;GrasshoppersandLocusts;FliesandMosquitoes.SIMPLE MARINE ANIMALS:Starfish;Jellyfish;Corals;Sponges;Protozoa.DOMESTICATED ANIMALS:Domesticated Mammals;Domesticated Birds;Domesticated FishandInsects.DICTIONARY OF SCIENTIFIC TERMS.
Of all the sciences, Zoology is the most extensive. It is estimated that over two million species of living creatures exist in the world. Between the elephant and the whale, the giants of animal creation, and the mite that is just discernible with the human eye, there are myriads of creatures differing in size, form and habit.
It is highly desirable, therefore, to have before us a bird’s-eye view of the Animal Kingdom even if it is only occasionally brought into actual use by the average reader. Classification, it should be understood, is only a process of comparison for the purpose of enabling us to determine the exact place of each animal in the plan of Nature. In other words it is simply a scientific method of naming the various animals from the relation of their resemblances.
We are chiefly indebted to the great Swedish scientist Linnæus for the scientific method of naming animals. For his purpose, Linnæus used the Latin as the universal language of science. For example, he named the dog in his classificationCanis familiaris, using a generic word and a specific word—just as they are used in the name of George Washington. In scientific classification, however, these names have become abstract terms, and they represent certain grades or degrees of resemblance which are spoken of as species, genera, families, orders, classes, and so on.
In this way we determine the exact place of each animal. The dog belongs to the kingdomAnimalia, sub-kingdomMetazoa, classMammalia, orderCarnivora, familyCanidæ, genusCanis, speciesFamiliaris, varietyHound(possibly) and its individual name, perhaps, is “Rover.”
The important thing is that the reader should have a picture of the actual animal representing each class in his mind’s eye. He should master the distinctions between thegreat groups, or classes, before proceeding to a more minute classification.
The present day classification of animal life falls into two great divisions: (1)Protozoa, representing those composed of a single cell; and (2)Metazoa, those whose bodies are composed of many cells. The Protozoa, so far as known, form a single division or branch of the animal kingdom, and the Metazoa comprise various higher branches. In the following table the divisions are given from the highest forms to the lowest, rather than in the reverse order frequently given, and sets out the chief characteristic and animal examples of each division.
ANIMAL KINGDOM (Kingdom Animalia)
Sub-Kingdom METAZOA(Gr.meta, after;zȯon, animal).—Animals with cellular tissues, true eggs, and blastoderm. The group comprises all animals except the Protozoa.
Class I.Mammalia(Lat.,mamma, breast).—Animals which suckle their young, bringing them into the world alive.Examples: man, monkey, ox, elephant and whale.
Order I.Primates(Lat.,primus, first).
Sub-Order I.Bimana(Lat.,bis, twice;manus, a hand).—Two-handed animals.Example: man.
Sub-Order II.Quadrumana(Lat.,quatuor, four;manus, a hand).—Four-handed animals.Example: the monkey.
Order II.Chiroptera(Gr.,cheir, a hand;pteron, a wing).—Hand-winged animals.Example: the bat.
Order III.Insectivora(Lat.,insecta, insects;voro, “I devour”).—Insect-eaters.Examples: the hedgehog and mole.
Order IV.Carnivora(Lat.,caro,carnis, flesh).—Flesh-eaters.Examples: lion, tiger, fox and weasel.
Order V.Rodentia(Lat.rodere, to gnaw).—Gnawing animals.Examples: rat, rabbit and beaver.
Order VI.Ungulata(Lat.,ungula, nail, claw or hoof).—Hoofed animals.
Sub-Order I.Hyracoidea(Gr.,hyrax, shrew-mouse).—Example: Syrian hyrax.
Sub-Order II.Proboscidea(Lat., from the Gr.,proboskis, an elephant’s trunk; literally a front-feeder), proboscis-bearers.Example: elephant.
Sub-Order III.Perissodactyla(Gr.,perisos, superfluous;daktulos, finger or toe), odd-toed animals.Examples: tapir, rhinoceros, horse, ass, and zebra.
Sub-Order IV.Artiodactyla(Gr.,artios, equal;daktulos, finger or toe), equal-toed animals.
Group I.Pecora(Lat., plural ofpecus, cattle) or Ruminantia (Lat.,rumen, a paunch).—Ruminating or cud-chewing animals.Examples: ox, sheep, goat, antelope, deer and giraffe.
Group II.Tragulina(Gr.,tragos, goat), or Deerlets.Example: kanchil.
Group III.Tylopada(Gr.,tylos, a knob or swelling, andpous,podos, a foot).—Ruminants with digits encased in cutaneous pads.Example: camel.
Group IV.Suina(Lat.,sus, a pig).—Swine-like animals.Examples: swine, peccary and hippopotamus.
Order VII.Sirenia(Lat.,siren, a sea nymph).—Sea-cows.Examples: manatee and dugong.
Order VIII.Cetacea(Gr.,ketos, a whale), animals of the whale kind.Examples: whale and dolphin.
Order IX.Edentata(Lat.,edentatus, toothless).—Toothless animals.Examples: sloth, anteater and armadillo.
Order X.Marsupialia(Lat.,marsupium, a pouch).—Pouched animals.Examples: kangaroo and opossum.
Order XI.Monotremata(Gr.,monos, single;trema, orifice).—Egg-laying mammals.Examples: duckbill or water mole.
Class II.Aves(Lat.,avis, a bird).—Birds, animals produced from eggs by the application of heat, usually supplied by the body of the mother bird in close contact with them. They are always clothed with feathers, which are a part of their special construction for flight.Examples: eagle, swan, ostrich and lark.
Order I.Birds of Prey(Raptores).—Sharp, curved beak and talons; strong legs; three toes front, one behind.Examples: vultures, falcons, secretary birds, owls.
Order II.Perching Birds(Insessores).—Short, slender, legs; three toes front, one behind.Examples: swallows, trogons, kingfishers, humming-birds, warblers, thrushes, crows, starlings, finches, hornbills, birds of paradise.
Order III.Climbing Birds(Scansores).—Toes paired; beak usually hooked.Examples: toucans, parrots, woodpeckers, cuckoos.
Order IV.Doves and Pigeons(Columbæ).—Legs weak; wings long and pointed.Examples: doves, pigeons.
Order V.Game Birds(Gallinæ).—Legs stout, short; beak stout, arched.Examples: pheasants, grouse, partridge, turkey, peacock, guinea, prairie chicken, domestic chickens.
Order VI.Ostrich Family(Cursores).—No keel or breast bone; rudimentary wings; stout legs.Examples: ostrich, cassowary, bustard.
Order VII.Wading Birds(Grallatores).—Legs and neck long; knee free from body.Examples: cranes, herons, snipes, plovers, storks, flamingo.
Order VIII.Swimming Birds(Natatores).—Web-footed.Examples: swans, ducks, geese, pelicans, petrels, auks, penguins, gulls, cormorants.
Class III.Reptilia(Lat.,repo.“I creep”)—Reptiles, cold-blooded animals, protected by scales and not infrequently by hard, bony plates. They are mostly oviparous, but developed from the eggs more or less casually by the heat of the sun. “Reptile” is not an apt name, for there are many members of the class that do not creep.Examples: crocodile, lizard, tortoise and snake.
Order I.Serpents(Orphidia).—Body long, cylindrical, scaly, usually limbless; numerous vertabræ and ribs; no eyelids. Lower jaw loosely united in front.Examples: rattlesnakes, vipers, boas, pythons, cobras, copperheads, water snakes.
Order II.Lizards(Lacertilia).—Body with long tail; usually four limbs; scaly; bones of the jaw firm.Examples: striped and green lizards, horned toads, chameleons, iguana.
Order III.Tortoises and Turtles(Chelonia).—Horny and bony shell within which the head and limbs can be drawn; no teeth; eyelids; four legs.Examples: turtles, tortoise, gophers, terrapins.
Order IV.Crocodiles and Alligators(Crocodilia).—Covered with scales and bony plates, teeth in sockets; heart with four cavities; eyelids and earlids.Examples: Crocodile and alligator.
Class IV.Batrachia(Gr.,batrachos, a frog), or Amphibia (Gr.,amphibios, having a double life).—Animals that can exist for a considerable time on dry land or in water. They are oviparous, hatched by the heat of the sun from eggs, covered with a soft, glutinous membrane, which the mother had laid in the water, and develop through tadpole stages. In the early period of their existence they are fishlike in their structure, breathing by means of gills and a two-chambered heart; in the later stages of their development they acquire lungs and a heart of three chambers. A true amphibian possesses at once both lungs and gills.Examples: frog, toad, newt and salamander.
Class V.Pisces(Lat.,piscis, a fish).—Fishes, oviparous animals covered with scales, which form an important part of their special organization for life in the water. Their gills, acting as lungs, extract air from the water instead of from the atmosphere.
Order I.Sharks and Rays(Elasmobranchii).—Shagreen skin; gills fixed and uncovered; cartilaginous skeleton.
Order II.Ganoids(Ganoidei).—Enameled plates or scales; gills free; skeleton partly cartilaginous.Examples: garpikes, mud-fish, lung-fish.
Order III.Bony or Fin Fishes(Teleostei).—Skeleton bony; scales; fins; usually four pairs of gills; mostly oviparous.Examples: bass, perch and ten thousand other kinds.
Class VI.Arthropoda(Gr.,arthron, joint;pous, foot).—Metazoa, with definite number of segments; jointed legs; distinct feet and hard, external skeleton.
Order I.Crustacea(Lat.,crusta, a crust or shell).—Water-breathing; having gills and more than eight jointed legs; four antennæ.Examples: fairy-shrimp, water-fleas, goose barnacle, acorn barnacle, opossum-shrimp, prawn, lobster, crayfish, cancer-crab, rock-crab, pill-bug, sand-hopper.
Order II.Arachnida(Gr.,arachne, spider).—Eight legs; air-breathing.Examples: garden-spider, tarantula, bird-spider, trap-door spider, mite, tick, king-crab or horseshoe crab.
Order III.Insecta(Lat.,insectum, cut in, owing to the grooves surrounding the body).—Distinct head, thorax and abdomen; air-breathing.Examples: fishmoth, springtail, cockroach, grasshopper, cricket, katydid, locust, dragon-fly, caddis-fly, may-fly, white ants or termites, ant-lion, water-boatman, water-bug, back-swimmer, chinch-bug, squash-bug, lice, plant-lice, scale-insect, gnat, mosquito, flea, house-fly, stage-beetle, wood-beetle, water-beetle, potato-beetle, ladybug, firefly, moth, butterfly, ants, honey-bees and bumblebees, wasps, hornets, yellow-jackets, centipeds.
Class VII.Mollusca(Lat.,mollis. soft),—Soft-bodied, unjointed Metazoa, with muscular skin (“mantle”), generally protected by a calcareous shell; two or three-chambered heart; three main pairs of nerve-ganglia.Examples: Clams, oysters, snails, cuttlefish, devil-fish, nautilus.
Class VIII.Echinodermata(Gr.,echinos, a hedgehog;derma, skin).—Radiated Metazoa, with distinct alimentary canal and well developed nervous system; body-walls secreting calcareous plates; parts in multiple of five.Examples: starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sea lilies, serpent or brittle stars, basket stars.
Class IX.Worms(Lat.,vermes).—Bilateral Metazoa, with no jointed legs, nor primitive stripe.Examples: earth worm, leech, tube worm, tape worm, bristle worms, vinegar eel, rotifers.
Class X.Cœlenterata(animals with combined body and stomach cavity).—Radiated Metazoa, with distinct digestive cavity, tentacles and nettling thread-cells.Examples: jellyfish, sea-anemones, coral polyps.
Class XI.Porifera(Lat.,porus, pore;fero, to carry).—Sponges, Metazoa, with numerous ingoing openings, one or few outgoing orifices, a skeleton, independent cells.Example: sponges.
Sub-Kingdom PROTOZOA(Gr.,protos, first;zoon, animal).—One-celled animals of microscopic size. Simplest forms of animal life.Examples: amœba, bell animalcule (vorticella), euglena.
Mammals constitute the highest class of animal creation, and include Man. They have a hard, bony skeleton and a vertebral column or backbone; warm red blood flows in their veins; they breathe by means of lungs, and suckle their young, which they bring forth alive. Their bodies are generally covered with hair. More than three thousand species of mammals are known.
Monkeys are animals whose four feet are hand-like, and hence their scientific name, Quadrumana, which means four-handed. They are distinguished from the other animals by their docility, and, more especially, by their power of imitation. It is evident at the first glance that they are nearer related to man than any other animal.
The monkeys have long, loosely hanging arms, with elongated, claw-like fingers; their feet resemble hands. They swing themselves with ease from branch to branch and from tree to tree; they are good climbers, and bring down fruit from the topmost branches. But notwithstanding the aptitude of their hands for climbing, the latter cannot equal the dexterity of the human hand, which is justly described as the tool of all tools.
Monkeys differ outwardly from man in many respects: their foreheads are low, and almost disappear under the overhanging hair; their ears are directed upwards; their nose is exceedingly flat and scarcely projects; their teeth resemble those of the animals of prey; their chin is receding; their entire skin is hairy, except in a few places; and their movements are, in most instances, only possible with the assistance of their long arms.
The intellectual qualities of monkeys are not of very high order. In this attribute, they are surpassed by the dog, the horse, and the elephant. There is especially no trace of those qualities of fidelity and gratitude which we so highly value in the animals last mentioned.
All of the American monkeys are true monkeys, but in the old world there is no line between ape, baboon, gibbon, macaque and monkey. Most of the American species (the marmosets excepted) have one more molar tooth on each side of each jaw than does man, but the forms of the eastern continent are like man in that respect, as they are in having nails rather than claws on at least some of the fingers and toes. Many of the new world species have prehensile tails, but this never occurs in the others, the tail exhibiting a tendency to be reduced, at last disappearing in the man-like apes.
The American apes have the nostrils widely separated and opening sidewise, while in the others they open in front and downward as in man.
Monkeys are extremely interesting because of their caricature of man. Some make most interesting pets, and others are disagreeable, in looks, temper, and habits. Most of them are vegetarians for most of their diet, but they are fond of eggs and young birds, as well as insects. None stray far out of the tropics and only one enters Europe at Gibraltar.
There are over one hundred various kinds of monkeys, only a few of which it will be necessary to describe with more detail.
Baboon(Cynocephalus babuin).—The Greek name, signifying “dog’s-head,” is very appropriate to the baboons, for they resemble a dog both in the shape of the head and in the hairy covering of the skin, and even in the tone of the voice.
They are very powerful animals, with protruding jaws like those of a bull-dog. Their jaws, supplied with immense incisor teeth, would do honor to any beast of prey, and their whole expression is fierce and malicious. Their limbs are strikingly short in comparison with those of the monkeys mentioned above. The baboons are found in Africa and the East Indies, and live chiefly in rocky and hilly regions, avoiding the woods as far as possible.
Their food consists of all kinds of plants, fruits, herbs, grasses, bulbs, etc., and also of small animals, especially snails, insects, and spiders. The structure of their body prevents them from walking upright, and their whole behavior, whether at rest or when running and jumping, exhibits a malicious disposition. Notwithstanding the fierceness of their nature, they may be tamed and made obedient when young; but their innate malicious nature reappears in old age. They are then no longer obedient, but again grin, scratch and bite.
Chimpanzee(Simia troglodytes) attains to the same height as the orang-outan; its body is covered with dark hair, and its hairless face is of a leathery yellow. It lives in forests, and is social and much livelier than the orang-outan, but it is also extraordinarily fierce. It builds hut-like constructions in the trees. The chimpanzee cannot live longer than a few years in our climate.
Douc(Semnopithecus nemæus).—The douc, or variegated monkey, is a native of Cochin-China. Its tail is almost as long as its body. From its variegated external appearance this monkey might be called a clown; its jacket is grey; its breeches, head-band, and gloves are black, its stockings brownish red; its sleeves, beard, loins, and tail white; its face yellow; and its necktie brownish red.
It is timid and shy, and at the sight of man quickly makes off into the recesses of the forest. It does not live long in captivity.
Galago(G. senegalensis).—They vary from the size of a rabbit to that of a rat, are covered with thick, soft, wooly fur, have somewhat bushy tails longer than the body, and hind-legs longer and stronger than the arms. The head is round like a cat’s; the eyes are large with oval pupils contracting in daylight to vertical slits; the ears are naked and very big, expanded during activity, but rolled together when the animal rests. The digits are strong and well adapted for grasping the branches; all bear nails except the second on the hind-foot, which is clawed. The galago proper is a pretty animal with wooly fur, grayish fawn above, whitish beneath. It seems to be distributed throughout tropical Africa, and is known in Senegal as “the gum animal” from its frequent habitat in mimosa or gum-acacia forests.
Gorilla(Simia gorilla) is the largest of the monkeys, growing to a height of six feet. Its grey, sparkling eyes are deeply sunk, and the powerful bony forehead gives the face an expression of wild ferocity. The mouth is wide, and the lips are sharply cut, without any red at the edges; the jaws are extremely powerful, and are armed with strong incisor teeth. The eyes stand wide apart, and the nose is more prominent and the head better formed than is the case with the other monkeys.
Howling Monkey(Mycetes niger).—The coat of the male is black, that of the female rather brown. Their tails are what are known as prehensile tails, and are of great service to them when climbing. The howling monkeys are found in South America. They live chiefly in the dense, damp woods, and along the banks of rivers. Every morning and evening their dismal howling fills the hearer with horror. They sit or lie about in the trees, and sometimes hang from the boughs by means of their prehensile tails. Their faces have a serious expression, and are surrounded by long beards. Their dismal chorus is begun by one of the old monkeys, and the whole company afterwards join in, the concert often lasting several hours.
The Indians hunt the howling monkey and eat its flesh; but it very often escapes the hunter, even after having been mortally wounded; for while in the act of falling down from the tree it will twist its tail around a bough, and remain there suspended long after death.
Mandrill(C. mormon).—This monkey has a repulsive appearance. The high puffed-up cheeks are blue with red lines, the nose a fiery red, the hair of the head greyish green, and the whiskers lemon yellow. It is as malicious and violent as it is rapacious, and is found on the west coast of Africa. It is much feared on account of its strength. As it feeds chiefly on plants, it frequently does a great deal of damage; troops of these animals are said to have invaded the inhabited districts on the coast.
The mandrill does not fear man, and is never to be frightened by a gun-shot; the smallest trifle suffices to put it in a most violent rage. The natives very rarely dare to enter the forests in which the mandrills are known to live.
Marmoset(Hápale Jacchus).—One of the few monkeys that can with truthfulness be termed pretty is the Marmoset. There are several species, and all are beautiful, with the gentle, engaging manners. Only seven or eight inches long, or about as big as a full-grown rat, the thick, soft fur and the long, bushy tail, a foot in length, give it the aspect of a considerably larger animal. The color of the coat is a peculiarly rich brown, which appears quite ruddy when the hairs are blown aside. The tail, which is not prehensile, is light grey, ringed with black, and there is a prominent tuft of white hair on either side of the head, standing out before the ears. The Marmoset has claws instead of nails except on its great toe. Its voice is a low, gentle whistle, quickly repeated when alarmed. It is common in many parts of South America. Its chief food consists of fruit, but it is very fond of insects.
ANIMALS THAT INTEREST US AT THE ZOO
Orang-Outan(Simia satyrus).—The orang-outan is found in the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. It attains to a height of four and a half feet. The face and the inside of its hands are hairless, and are of a bluish-grey tint; but the other parts of its body are covered more or less thickly with hair, generally of a rusty-brown color. Its hands reach almost to the ground.
When at liberty it feeds on plants only, and especially on tree-fruits. Hard shelled-fruit, as big as a human head, which a man could only open with an axe, the orang-outan tears asunder with its hands. It is by no means so lively as the monkeys, and sits for hours at a time in a melancholy mood on the bough of a tree, exhibiting only the natural fierceness of its class when attacked.
In youth it is sociable, and lives with others of its kind, but when old it leads a more solitary life; the old males are especially fond of solitude. With increasing age the orang-outans scarcely ever climb the trees. On the ground, however, they move with difficulty, and their gait is awkward and clumsy. They build a kind of nest in the thick branches nineteen or twenty feet above the ground. Their attachment to their young is very touching.
Wanderoo(Macacus silenus).—A remarkable species which the Ceylonese call Black Monkey, on account of the color of its long fur. On the top of its head the hair is particularly long, falling on either side of its face like the full-dress wig of a judge. It also possesses a long grey beard, so that it has quite a venerable aspect. Unlike the other macaques, it has a tuft of hair on the end of its tail, much like that of a lion. The wanderoo is furnished with cheek pouches of considerable size; and probably the rapidity with which it feeds is due to the fact that it is storing away a portion of its food for future use. The animal stands about thirty inches high, weighs as much as eighty pounds, and is possessed of considerable muscular power.
The animals of prey proper are very powerful, and some of them are even dangerous to man; they feed on the flesh of other animals. The Insectivora, or insect eaters, are, on the contrary, small; they feed chiefly on insects and worms, and are therefore useful. Of these several groups are distinguished: the cat-like, hyaena-like, dog-like, marten-like, and bear-like animals of prey.
Badger(Meles taxus).—The compact body of the badger is covered with blackish fur, with white stripes at the neck and head. It lives in forests, near fields and vineyards, where it digs burrows, with about six to eight passages leading to a kettle-shaped chamber, which lies from four to six feet under the surface. It sleeps in the daytime and during the winter, but at night it goes out on its predatory excursions. Its food consists of insects, worms, snails, frogs, snakes, birds’ eggs, young birds, and young hares; nor does it despise fruit, roots, and honey. The badger is very wary, and defends itself with great courage in its burrow. It is hunted chiefly for its fur; its flesh is rarely eaten. Paint brushes are made from its hair.
Bear, Brown(Ursus arctos), also called the common or European bear, has a shaggy light or dark brown fur. It is only about five feet long, and attains a weight of five hundred to six hundred pounds. Its home is in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Although not so strong as the polar bear, it is not to be despised as an adversary. It is the king of the northern forests. When attacked it will place itself in an erect position, and try to tear its enemy with strokes of its paws. In the fables of animals it is represented as an awkward, foolish simpleton, who is always brought to shame and disgrace by the cunning of the fox. It can easily be tamed, and nearly everybody has seen its clown-like performances. Its habitation is in caverns or hollow trees. Its flesh is eaten, and its fur used like that of the polar bear.
Bear, Polar(Ursus maritimus).—Its fur is quite white. Its body attains eight feet in length, and weighs from fifteen hundred to sixteen hundred pounds. It inhabits the most northern parts of Europe, Asia and America. Its movements are equally quick on water and land; and it is a terrible animal of prey, attacking even man with the greatest fury. It pursues its predatory excursions on the numerous islands of the northern polar regions, and its chief food is fish and seals. Sometimes it will come into more southern latitudes, when it causes terrible havoc among the herds, and only with the greatest difficulty can this strong and fearless animal be killed. The polar bear has its home in the regions of everlasting snow, and can only obtain the necessaries of life by means of never-ceasing activity. It often uses a sheet of ice as a raft to transport itself to spots where it can obtain its prey. Its flesh is eaten; its fat is used for food and fuel, and its fur for carpets and rugs.
Caracal(FelisorLynx caracal), a species of lynx found in the warmer parts of Asia and throughout the whole of Africa. It is larger than a fox, about the same height, but much more powerful; of a uniform deep chestnut color, except two spots near each eye, the under parts of the body, and inner parts of the legs, which are white, and tufts of long black hair which terminate the ears. The young forms are spotted. The ears are about three inches in length. The caracal is powerful enough to tear a hound to pieces.
Fox(Canis vulpes).—The common fox, also called red fox, has thick, soft fur, which is, on its upper parts, a light rust red, and on its lower parts whitish. Its body attains a length[195]of thirty inches. Its long tail is bushy, and ends in a white tip.
The fox is a common inhabitant of the whole of Europe, and of the northern parts of Asia, America, and Africa. It inhabits forests and woods, where it lives with its mate in caverns. In rapacity it is nearly equal to the wolf; but it can master its cupidity and wait for better opportunities if danger should threaten. No animal is the subject of so many fables. “Master Reynard” is always the cunning rogue, who outwits his adversaries. Only on behalf of their young will the male as well as the female fox risk their lives; intense love will then overcome every fear and precaution.
The fox hunts hares, fowls, geese, and ducks, and even fish; but it always destroys a great number of mice, whereby the injury done by it is partly equalized. Its cover has always several exits. If found to be rather deep, it was not constructed by the fox, but by a badger, which either left its burrow willingly or was driven out by the new tenant. The fox is hunted in different ways.
Hedgehog(Erinaceus Europæus).—The hedgehog is likewise an inhabitant of the underground world, for it lives in holes below the roots of trees, and under heaps of stones. Its body, with the exception of its belly, is covered with sharp spines, and its feet are short and strong. It begins to hunt for its prey in the darkness of the night. Should it be disturbed it will suddenly roll itself up into a ball, its sharp spines projecting in all directions. In this condition no dog can get at it; but, if water is poured on it, it will unroll again. Its spines are also of great service to it in other ways; for when rolled up it can let itself down the steepest precipices, and fall from walls ten feet high, without sustaining the smallest injury.
The hedgehog may also be called a useful animal; for it destroys mice, rats, and vermin of all kinds, and will even feed on vipers, as poison does not effect it. Its flesh is eaten in some countries.
Hyena(Hyæna maculata).—This whitish-grey and white-spotted animal attains a length of four feet, and has its home in Southern and Eastern Africa. It has a repulsive appearance, and emits a very disagreeable odor. Hyenas remain hidden during the daytime; in the evening and during the night they go out in quest of prey. They are great cowards, and sometimes encircle human habitations in troups, and fall on their sleeping prey. Hyenas force their way even into villages, clear off the decayed animal matter, and dig the corpses out of their shallow graves. TheHyena Dog(Canis pictus) does not belong to the hyenas proper, but to the dog-like animals of prey. It inhabits the central and southern parts of Africa, and is very dangerous to the antelopes and the herds of sheep; it also attacks cattle.
Ichneumon(Herpestes ichneumon).—This animal is also called Pharaoh’s rat. It inhabits Africa, and was considered a holy animal by the ancient Egyptians. The color of its hair is greenish-grey, somewhat darker on the head and back. Its snout is rather short; its tail ends in a tuft. It feeds on rats, mice, toads, frogs, and snakes, birds’ eggs, and the eggs of crocodiles.
Jackal(Canis aureus).—Very similar in appearance to the fox, the hair of the jackal is of a dark rusty yellow, whitish on its lower parts. It inhabits Asia and north Africa, and is also found in the south-eastern parts of Europe, in Greece, and Turkey. It makes its excursions during the night in troops. Like the hyena, the jackal prowls round the herds and human habitations, and, failing living prey, is content with carrion.
Jaguar(Felis onca), sometimes called the American tiger, has reddish-yellow fur, spotted with black. It inhabits South America, from Paraguay to Mexico, and is the largest and most dangerous animal of prey in those parts of the globe. The jaguar lies in wait for all sorts of animals, and shows a great fondness for fish; but most frequently it attacks grazing animals. It does not even hesitate to spring upon man.
Leopard(Felis pardus).—Now generally supposed to be identical with the panther. The leopard is at home in Africa, from Algeria to Cape Colony; it is also found in Asia, from Palestine through central Asia to Manchuria. It is characterized by a peculiar gracefulness, slenderness and flexibility of form, with a very long tail, and spotted fur, the spots being arranged in numerous rows along the sides, and each spot composed of five or six small spots arranged in a circle or rosette. The general color is yellowish; the lower parts lighter; the spots darker than the general color of the fur. The leopard is extremely agile, and possesses the power of leaping and also that of climbing trees in great perfection. Deer and antelopes are its habitual prey; but it is equally ready to feed on pigs, poultry, or whatever animals may be found in the vicinity of a farm or village. The size and strength of the leopard render it dangerous to man; but it generally seems to dread and flee from man, unless assailed.
Lion(Felis leo).—The lion is covered with short, smooth hair, which lies close to the skin. Its fur is mostly of a uniform yellow color. A male lion measures about ten feet in length; the female is about a foot shorter. The male has a long mane on its neck and breast. Its claws are retractile—i. e., may be drawn back entirely into their sheaths. At the end of the tail is a horny point, which is surrounded by a tuft of hair.
The lion, the king of animals, inhabits the Old World, Africa and Asia and was formerly also found in Greece and Macedonia. The majesty of terror and violence accompanies its movements. Its most striking qualities are courage, pride, and circumspection. It chooses lonely spots with rocky caves for its habitation, where it passes the day in sleep.
At the beginning of twilight it rises from its couch, stretches its limbs, and gives vent to a roar which makes man and beast tremble far and wide. Then it begins to roam through the neighborhood; and woe to the animal or man who approaches too near to it! It crouches like the cat, and will sometimes spring thirty feet. The results of such an attack are[196]terrible; for with one stroke of its paw it can kill a galloping horse, together with its rider. But it rarely attacks man.
The lion often overcomes animals larger than himself by means of his stealthy, cat-like habit of springing upon them unawares. He preys upon buffaloes, zebras, and even young elephants. Lions sometimes go in troops, being sociable rather than gregarious. The male aids in care and feeding of the young, which number from two to four, usually three, at a birth. The pupil of the lion’s eye is circular when contracted, not a narrow slit, as in the cat. The papillæ of its tongue are so large that it can rapidly rasp the flesh from bones by licking them.
Lynx(Felix lynx).—This animal, which is widely spread, is of a reddish grey, with darker spots on its upper parts and white on its lower parts. It is frequently seen upon the Alps, the Carpathian Mountains, and in the north of Europe and Asia. Hidden in the tops of low trees, it lies in wait for the passing animals, and springs even upon horses and stags. It commits great havoc among game, and is therefore eagerly hunted. Every year about fifty thousand furs of the common lynx and its nearest relations, the desert, polar, red, pardel, and bog lynx, are sold in the markets of the world.
Marten(Mustela martes).—The tree marten has a yellowish-brown fur and a reddish-yellow patch across its breast. It inhabits Europe and the western parts of Asia. It is always found in forests, where it lies hidden in hollow trees. It not only causes great destruction among game, but is also a great robber of useful birds. It also hunts squirrels, which, as soon as they get sight of it, try to escape as rapidly as possible.
Related to the tree marten are theStoneorHouse Marten(M. foina), which generally lives in the neighborhood of human habitations, and destroys poultry and eggs: thePole Cat(Putorius fœtidus), which lives in the same localities and has the same injurious habits as the house marten: the smallWeasel(P. vulgaris), is reddish brown on its upper parts, but on its lower parts whitish, and is over seven inches long. It is a useful animal, as it feeds chiefly on rats, mice, and badgers; it is also fond of eggs, which it carries under its chin: and theErmine(P. ermineus), the fur of which is of a dazzling white color in the winter, and is the most valued of all furs.
Mink(Putorius), a name applied to several carnivores in the same genus as weasel, polecat, ferret, and ermine, and with essentially similar characteristics. The body measures from twelve to eighteen inches in length, not including the bushy tail. The color of the valuable fur is chestnut-brown. The Siberian vison (P. sibericus), the European vison (P. lutreola), and the American mink (P. vison) are very nearly related. They all live by rivers and lakes, feeding chiefly on fishes, frogs, mussels, and the like; though not refusing any small mammals which come in their way.
Mole(Talpa Europea).—The mole is one of the most interesting of the smaller animals. It inhabits meadows, fields, gardens, and forests where it finds its food. It lives in the earth, and digs out its “runs,” at the same time throwing up mole-hills. The mole feeds on grubs, caterpillars, chrysalises, maggots, crickets, lizards, snakes, frogs, mice, and rats, and does not even spare its own kindred. The formation of its body, which is about six inches long, enables it to seize these different kinds of prey with ease; for it is cylindrical and wedge-like in shape, with a long, flexible snout, and very large fore paws, furnished with five strong nails. Its head is placed deep between the shoulders—no neck is visible; its eyes are very small, and covered with hair; and there are no exterior ears. Its hind paws are longer but weaker than the fore limbs, and its tail is short. Its fur consists of short, velvety hair.
The mole nearly always lives a solitary life. It is very quarrelsome and rapacious. The weasel, fox, marten, hedgehog, owl, buzzard, falcon, raven, the viper, and man all threaten its life. Against these enemies it is, however, well protected by its dark fur, by the keenness of its senses of hearing and smell, and by its rapid movements, and the ingenious architecture of its burrow. The latter is a real fortress.