Illustrative Anecdotes of the Animal Kingdom Part 10

A lady in England had a squirrel which she taught to crack nuts for her, and hand her the kernels with his paws. She also instructed him to count money; and he was so attentive that, whenever he found a coin on the ground, he took it up and carried it to her. So attached was this little creature to its mistress, that, whenever she was confined to her bed, from indisposition, he lay still in his cage, without moving, although, at other times, he was full of life and vivacity.

Some years ago, as a Swede was constructing a mill dike, late in the autumn, he accidentally came upon an abode of the ground or striped squirrel. He traced it to some distance, and found a gallery on one side, like a branch, diverging from the main stem, nearly two feet long; at its farther end was a quant.i.ty of fine white oak acorns; he soon after discovered another gallery, which contained a store of corn; a third was filled with walnuts; while a fourth contained three quarts of fine chestnuts;--all of which the provident little animal had stored up for the winter.

A correspondent of the "Penny Magazine" gives us the following account: "Although apparently not adapted to swimming, yet both gray and black squirrels venture across lakes that are one or two miles wide. In these adventurous exploits, they generally take advantage of a favorable breeze, elevating their tails, which act like sails, thus rendering their pa.s.sage quicker and less laborious. I have frequently noticed black squirrels crossing Niagara River, and I always remarked that they swam across when the morning first began to dawn. On reaching the opposite sh.o.r.e, they appeared greatly fatigued, and, if unmolested, generally took a long rest preparatory to their setting off for the woods."

The black and gray squirrels of the western country frequently emigrate, in immense numbers, from one district to another. They may be often seen swimming across the Ohio; and it is not uncommon for persons to stand upon the banks, and kill them as they come to the sh.o.r.e, being then in an exhausted state.

THE MOUSE.

Of this genus there are many species, including not only the domestic mouse, but several other kinds, as well as the various kinds of rats.

The common mouse was not originally a native of this country, but was introduced from Europe. The same may be said of the common rat. These animals are spread over nearly the whole world, seeming always to be the attendants upon man.

_Miscellaneous Anecdotes._--"On a rainy evening," says Dr. Archer, "as I was alone in my chamber in the town of Norfolk, I took up my flute and commenced playing. In a few moments, my attention was directed to a mouse that I saw creeping from a hole, and advancing to a chair in which I was sitting. I ceased playing, and it ran precipitately back to its hole. I began again to play, and was much surprised to see it reappear, and take its old position. It couched upon the floor, shut its eyes, and appeared in ecstasy, being differently affected by the music I played, as it varied from slow and plaintive to lively and animated."

A gentleman who was on board a British man of war, in the year 1817, states that, as he and some officers were seated by the fire, one of them began to play a plaintive air on the violin. He had scarcely performed ten minutes, when a mouse, apparently frantic, made its appearance in the centre of the floor. The strange gestures of the little animal strongly excited the attention of the officers, who, with one consent, resolved to suffer it to continue its singular actions unmolested. Its exertions now appeared to be greater every moment; it shook its head, leaped about the table, and exhibited signs of the most ecstatic delight. After performing actions that an animal so diminutive would at first sight seem incapable of, the little creature suddenly ceased to move, fell down, and expired, without evincing any symptoms of pain.

An officer confined to the Bastille, at Paris, begged to be allowed to play on his lute, to soften his confinement by its harmonies. Shortly afterwards, when playing on the instrument, he was much astonished to see a number of mice come frisking out of their holes, and many spiders descending from their webs, and congregating round him while he continued the music. Whenever he ceased, they dispersed; whenever he played again, they reappeared. He soon had a numerous audience, amounting to about a hundred mice and spiders.

Mr. Olafsen gives an account of the remarkable instinct of the Iceland mouse. In a country where berries are but thinly dispersed, these little animals are obliged to cross rivers to make their distant forages. In their return with the booty to their magazines, they are obliged to repa.s.s the stream. "The party, which consists of from six to ten, select a flat piece of dried cow-dung, on which they place the berries on a heap in the middle; then, by their united force, they bring it to the water's edge, and, after launching it, embark and place themselves round the heap, with their heads joined over it and their backs to the water, their tails pendent in the stream, serving the purpose of rudders." Remarkable as this story is, the truth of it is confirmed by many people who have watched the arrangements of the tiny navigators.

THE DORMOUSE.

Mr. Mangili, an Italian naturalist, made some curious experiments upon the _dormouse_. He kept one in the cupboard in his study. When the thermometer was 8 above the freezing point, the little animal curled himself up among a heap of papers, and went to sleep. It was ascertained that the animal breathed, and suspended his respiration, at regular intervals, sometimes every four minutes. Within ten days from his beginning to sleep, the dormouse awoke, and ate a little. He then went to sleep again, and continued through the winter to sleep some days and then to awaken; but as the weather became colder, the intervals of perfect repose, when no breathing could be perceived, were much longer--sometimes more than twenty minutes.

THE RAT.

_Miscellaneous Anecdotes._--There was, in the year 1827, in a farm-house in England, a remarkable instance, not only of docility, but of usefulness, in a rat. It first devoured the mice which were caught in traps, and was afterwards seen to catch others as they ventured from their holes; till, at length, the whole house was cleared of these animals. From the services it rendered, the family kindly protected the rat, and it used to gambol about the house, and play with the children, without the least fear. It sometimes disappeared for a week or ten days at a time, but regularly returned to its abode.

During a dreadful storm in England, in 1829, a singular instance occurred of sagacity in a rat. The River Tyne was much swollen by the water, and numbers of people had a.s.sembled to gaze on the ma.s.ses of hay it swept along in its irresistible course. A swan was at last observed, sometimes struggling for the land, at other times sailing majestically along with the torrent. When it drew near, a black spot was seen on its snowy plumage, and the spectators were greatly pleased to find that this was a live rat. It is probable that it had been borne from its domicile in some hayrick, and, observing the swan, had made for it as an ark of safety, in the hope of prolonging its life. When the swan at length reached the land, the rat leaped from his back, and scampered away, amid the shouts of the spectators.

A surgeon's mate on board a ship, in 1757, relates that, while lying one evening awake in his berth, he saw a rat come into the room, and, after surveying the place attentively, retreat with the utmost caution and silence. It soon returned, leading by the ear another rat, which it left at a small distance from the hole by which they entered. A third rat then joined them. The two then searched about, and picked up all the small sc.r.a.ps of biscuit; these they carried to the second rat, which seemed blind, and remained on the spot where they had left it, nibbling such fare as was brought to it by its kind providers, whom the mate supposed were its offspring.

A steward of a ship infested with rats used to play some lively airs on a flute after he had baited his traps and placed them near the rat-holes. The music attracted the rats, who entered the traps unconscious of that danger which, without that allurement, they would have instinctively avoided. In this manner the steward caught fifteen or twenty rats in three hours.

THE BEAVER.

There is but one species of this animal, which is found in the temperate regions of both continents. It spends a great part of its time in the water, where it constructs dams and builds huts of the branches of trees. It gnaws these asunder with wonderful dexterity, frequently cutting off a branch, the size of a walking-stick, with one effort. They live in families composed of from two to ten.

_A tame Beaver._--Major Roderfort, of New York, had a tame beaver, which he kept in his house upwards of half a year, and allowed to run about like a dog. The cat belonging to the house had kittens, and she took possession of the beaver's bed, which he did not attempt to prevent. When the cat went out, the beaver would take one of the kittens between his paws, and hold it close to his breast to warm it, and treated it with much affection. Whenever the cat returned, he restored her the kitten.

_Affection of the Beaver._--Two young beavers were taken alive some years ago, and carried to a factory near Hudson's Bay, where they grew very fast. One of them being accidentally killed, the survivor began to moan, abstained from food, and finally died in grief for the loss of its companion.

_A tame Beaver in the Zoological Gardens of London._--"This animal arrived in England, in the winter of 1825, very young, being small and woolly, and without the covering of long hair which marks the adult beaver. It was the sole survivor of five or six, which were shipped at the same time, and was in a very pitiable condition. Good treatment soon made it familiar. When called by its name, 'Binny,' it generally answered with a little cry, and came to its owner. The hearth-rug was its favorite haunt, upon which it would lie stretched out, sometimes on its back, and sometimes flat on its belly, but always near its master.

The building instinct showed itself immediately after it was let out of its cage, and materials were placed in its way,--and this before it had been a week in its new quarters. Its strength, even before it was half grown, was great. It would drag along a large sweeping-brush, or a warming-pan, grasping the handle with its teeth, so that the load came over its shoulder; it then advanced in an oblique direction, till it arrived at the point where it wished to place it. The long and large materials were always taken first; two of the longest were generally laid crosswise, with one of the ends of each touching the wall, and the other ends projecting out into the room. The area formed by the crossed brushes and the wall, he would fill up with hand-brushes, rush-baskets, books, boots, sticks, cloths, dried turf, or any thing portable. As the work grew high, he supported himself on his tail, which propped him up admirably; and he would often, after laying on one of his building materials, sit up over against it, apparently to consider his work, or, as the country people say, 'judge it.' This pause was sometimes followed by changing the position of the material 'judged,' and sometimes it was left in its place.

"After he had piled up his materials in one part of the room,--for he generally chose the same place,--he proceeded to wall up the s.p.a.ce between the feet of a chest of drawers, which stood at a little distance from it, high enough on its legs to make the bottom a roof for him, using for this purpose dried turf and sticks, which he laid very even, and filling up the interstices with bits of coal, hay, cloth, or any thing he could pick up. This last place he seemed to appropriate for his dwelling; the former work seemed to be intended for a dam. When he had walled up the s.p.a.ce between the feet of the chest of drawers, he proceeded to carry in sticks, clothes, hay, cotton, and to make a nest; and, when he had done, he would sit up under the drawers, and comb himself with the nails of his hind-feet. In this operation, that which appeared at first to be a malformation was shown to be a beautiful adaptation to the necessities of the animal. The huge webbed hind-feet often turn in, so as to give the appearance of deformities; but, if the toes were straight, instead of being incurved, the animal could not use them for the purpose of keeping its fur in order, and cleansing it from dirt and moisture. Binny generally carried small and light articles between his right fore-leg and his chin, walking on the other three legs; and large ma.s.ses, which he could not grasp readily with his teeth, he pushed forwards, leaning against them with his right fore-paw and his chin. He never carried any thing on his tail, which he liked to dip in water, but he was not fond of plunging in his whole body. If his tail was kept moist, he never cared to drink; but if it was kept dry, it became hot, and the animal appeared distressed, and would drink a great deal. It is not impossible that the tail may have the power of absorbing water, like the skin of frogs; though it must be owned that the scaly integument which invests that member has not much of the character which generally belongs to absorbing surfaces. Bread, and bread and milk, and sugar, formed the princ.i.p.al part of Binny's food; but he was very fond of succulent fruits and roots. He was a most entertaining creature; and some highly comic scenes occurred between the worthy, but slow, beaver, and a light and airy macauco, that was kept in the same apartment."

THE PORCUPINE.

Of this animal there are several species. The common porcupine of Europe is about two feet long, and covered with long spines or quills.

In defending itself, it lies on one side, and rolls over upon its enemy. The quills of the American porcupine are used by the Indians in ornamenting their dress.

_Curious Playmates._--We are told that Sir Ashton Lever had a tame porcupine, a domesticated hunting leopard, and a Newfoundland dog, which he used frequently to turn out together, to play in a green behind his house. No sooner were the dog and leopard let loose, than they began to chase the porcupine, who uniformly, at the outset, tried to escape by flight, but when he found there was no chance of doing so, he would thrust his head into some corner, and make a snorting noise, and erect his spines. His pursuers, if too ardent, p.r.i.c.ked their noses, which made them angry; and in the quarrel which usually ensued, the porcupine effected his escape.

Le Vaillant says that a wound from a porcupine's quill is difficult to cure, from some poisonous quality it possesses; he mentions that a Hottentot, who was p.r.i.c.ked in the leg by one of these, was ill for upwards of six months afterwards; and that a gentleman at the Cape kept his bed for about four months, and nearly lost his limb, in consequence of a wound inflicted by one of these animals.

THE HARE.

Of this slender, graceful creature, there are several species. The animal which pa.s.ses by the name of rabbit, in America, and is common in our woods, is a hare. The pursuit of this animal is a favorite sport in England, and some other countries of Europe.

_Miscellaneous Anecdotes._--In the "Annals of Sporting," for 1822, we find the following interesting account of a hare: "Two years ago, a doe hare produced two young ones in a field adjoining my cottage; and the three were occasionally seen, during the summer, near the same spot; but the leverets were, I have reason to believe, killed at the latter end of September of the same year. The old doe hare was also coursed, and, making directly for my cottage, entered the garden, and there blinked the dogs. I repeatedly afterwards saw her sitting, sometimes in the garden, which is one hundred and ten yards by forty-three, but more frequently in the garden-hedge. She was repeatedly seen by greyhounds when she sat at some distance, but uniformly made for the garden, and never failed to find security. About the end of the following January, puss was no longer to be seen around the garden, as she had probably retired to some distance with a male companion. One day, in February, I heard the hounds, and shortly afterwards observed a hare making towards the garden, which it entered at a place well known, and left not the least doubt on my mind, that it was my old acquaintance, which, in my family, was distinguished by the name of Kitty. The harriers shortly afterwards came in sight, followed Kitty, and drove her from the garden.

"I became alarmed for the safety of my poor hare, and heartily wished the dogs might come to an irrecoverable fault. The hare burst away with the fleetness of the wind, and was followed, breast high, by her fierce and eager pursuers. In about twenty minutes I observed Kitty return towards the garden, apparently much exhausted, and very dirty. She took shelter beneath a small heap of sticks, which lay at no great distance from the kitchen door. No time was to be lost, as, by the cry of the hounds, I was persuaded they were nearly in sight. I took a fishing-net, and, with the a.s.sistance of the servant, covered poor Kitty, caught her, and conveyed the little, panting, trembling creature into the house. The harriers were soon at the spot, but no hare was to be found. I am not aware that I ever felt greater pleasure than in thus saving poor Kitty from her merciless pursuers. Towards evening I gave her her liberty; I turned her out in the garden, and saw her not again for some time.

"In the course of the following summer, however, I saw a hare several times which I took to be my old friend; and, in the latter end of October, Kitty was again observed in the garden. Henceforward, she was occasionally seen as on the preceding winter. One morning, in January, when I was absent, a gun was fired near my cottage. Kitty was heard to scream, but, nevertheless, entered the garden vigorously. The matter was related to me on my return home; and I was willing to hope that Kitty would survive. However, I had some doubt on the subject; and, the next morning, as soon as light permitted, I explored the garden, and found that my poor, unfortunate favorite had expired. She was stretched beneath a large gooseberry tree; and I could not help regretting very much her death."

Borlase informs us that he had a hare so completely tamed as to feed from the hand. It always lay under a chair in the ordinary sitting-room, and was as much domesticated as a cat. It was permitted to take exercise and food in the garden, but always returned to the house to repose. Its usual companions were a greyhound and a spaniel, with whom it spent its evenings. The whole three seemed much attached, and frequently sported together, and at night they were to be seen stretched together on the hearth. What is remarkable, both the greyhound and spaniel were often employed in sporting, and used secretly to go in pursuit of hares by themselves; yet they never offered the least violence to their timid friend at home.

Dr. Townson, the traveller, when at Gottingen, brought a young hare into such a state of domestication, that it would run and jump about his sofa and bed. It leaped on his knee, patted him with its fore feet; and frequently, while he was reading, it would knock the book out of his hands, as if to claim, like a fondled child, the preference of his attention.

One Sunday evening, five choristers were walking on the banks of the River Mersey, in England. Being somewhat tired, they sat down, and began to sing an anthem. The field where they sat had a wood at its termination. While they were singing, a hare issued from this wood, came with rapidity towards the place where they were sitting, and made a dead stand in the open field. She seemed to enjoy the harmony of the music, and turned her head frequently, as if listening. When they stopped, she turned slowly towards the wood. When she had nearly reached the end of the field, they again commenced an anthem, at which the hare turned round, and ran swiftly back, to within the same distance as before, where she listened with apparent rapture till they had finished. She then bent her way towards the forest with a slow pace, and disappeared.

A hare, being hard run by a pack of harriers in the west of England, and being nearly exhausted, happened to come upon another hare in her form. She instantly drew out the latter, and slipped in herself; the pack followed the newly-started hare, and the huntsmen, coming up, found the animal they had been chasing, lying down in the form, panting very hard, and covered with mud.

A gentleman, actuated by curiosity, put one male and two female hares in a large garden, walled entirely round, where they had plenty to eat.

Judge his surprise, when he opened the gate of the garden in a year from the time that he had shut in the animals, to find that his family had increased to the number of forty-seven!

A hare was once seen to start from its form at the sound of the hunting horn, run towards a pool of water at a considerable distance, plunge in, and run to some rushes in the middle, where it lay down, and concealed itself. By this ingenious trick, the animal balked its pursuers, and effected its escape.

ORDER VII.

EDENTATA,

ANIMALS WITHOUT FRONT TEETH.

The animals in this order are not numerous, but they are marked with very peculiar characteristics. The chief species are the sloths, armadilloes, ant-eaters, and pangolins, of South America, and the platypus of Australia. Most of these are too little known to have furnished us with characteristic anecdotes.

THE SLOTH.