STRANGE TALES ABOUT TAILS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 103, 2 May 1936, Page 3 (Supplement)

STRANGE TALES ABOUT TAILS.

Tails are not always the useless appendages they seem at a casual glance. Nor are they merely ornamental. Take, for instance, the lovely "brush" of the squirrel. Apart from the charm it imparts to its wearer, the squirrel's tail can be converted into a. very useful weapon. When cnasea T>y some predatory animal and finding itself hard pressed, the squirrel will often make good his escape by stuffing the bushy tail •in the eyes of the foe, and thus causing him to pause for a moment. When the pursuer can see clearly again the squirrel is out of liis reach. The squirrel lias other uses for his tail also. It is a useful balancing pole when the rodent lias to cross a very thin, swaying branch. In winter it is a fine blanket to keep out the cold. The tail of the beaver is used as an alarm gun. When an enemy is sighted the loud sound of the flat tail smacking the surface of the water is a warning to every beaver to scamper into the river and dive for safety. The beaver also finds his tail an excellent rudder to keep a course in swift currents. The kangaroo's thick and heavy tail makes a line seat. When he wishes to rest it makes a tripod to sit on, after the fashion of the sportsman's shootingstick.

One of the loveliest tails in the animal kingdom belongs to the anteater. He uses his great bush as a. sunshade, curling the massive fanshaped plume over his back.

Many tails like those of the horse and cattle are used to keep off irritating insects. But some animals have such, mere apologies for tails that they cannot be of any service at all. Nature has left the elephant and the lynx mere scraps of tails, whilst the guinea-pig and the Australian wombat have none at all. Warning Signals. Quite a number of animals and many birds use their tails as warning signals. A typical instance is the white tail of the rabbit, often the only part visible in the dusk as the animal scampers for the safety of its burrow. <: The opposuin uses its tail as a third limb. It is prehensile, and the animal wraps it round the limb of a tree, which it grips so securely that it can swing in mid-air suspended by the tail in perfect safety. The quaint lizard known as the chameleon uses its tail in exactly the same manner, and by curling it round the twigs can rest without danger high up in the trees, no matter how strong the wind may be. Reptile's tails are put to many uses. The alligator uses his massive spiky tail to fight with, and can deal terrible blows when he lashes out at an enetby. The lizard family use their tails to play a practical joke. If you catch one by the tail it immediately breaks off, and remains wriggling in your hand, while the owner runs quickly away. Another tail soon grows to replace the old one. The most unfriendly tail of all belongs to the scorpion. There is a sharp spike at the tip, and this contains the poisonous sting with which it captures its prey.