THE NATURALIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 64

THE NATURALIST.

Madame Hippo's Way.

The following fragment from th© lomestic life of a family of hippopotami was written by Mr A. D. Bartlett, the author of "Wikl Animals in Captivity." and for many yeai*s superintendent of the London Zoological Garden?.

In the beginning, the hippes were a peaceful family of two, but in time there nas born a third one. The baby was christened Guy Fawkes, although it -was a female. When Guy wa? eight months old, and after h.pr devoted mother had taught her to swim, it was deemed time to allow her to enter her father's den.

Now Obayech, the fathe., had been a bachelor resident of the gardens for 23 years. His domestic habits were but imperfectly formed. He was even what might be termed '"a little, set in his »vays," and was not dis-pci-ed to regard the constant companionship of hifi wife and little daughter with favour. On tho morning of the introduction Obaysch was quietly eating his breakfast of fresh grass, when the sliding door of the female's den was quietly raised', and the mother and the young one peered out with a most comical expression. On seeing the female, Obaysch left off eating and trumpeted. Guy Fawkes cautiously went up ta hei father, and their noses ell but touched, when the mother, fearing dangei to the baby, .iiehed forward 1 and challenged her husband. Obay&eh retreated a little distance, while the mother pretended to be feeding, at the same time keeping her eyes steadfastly fixed on him. \.t last ehe mad© a rush at him. They raised themselves on their hind legs, and, clashing thei. teeth together, bit and struck at each other in a eavage manner, Guy Fawkes beeping at a respectful distance behind, or at the side of. her mother.

When Obaysoh and his wife got on their forefeet again, the female, by a dexterous lunge with her head, pushed Obaysch into the pond, and after driving him into a corner, kept guard over him and held him a safe prisoner 1 While this etate of affairs continued, Guy Fay. kes was safely perched on her motherV back, looking impudently at her disgraced father.

Several other engagements occurred before Obaysch's preference for eolitud© was conquered, but in the end he gave in, the mother cooled down, and in a time he had no opinion of his own, after which they became a very happy family.

The King Snake. — The most relentless exterminator of reptiles is a- member of the family itself — the beautiful, lithe, yellow and black king snake, the friend of man and the avowed enemy ot anything that creeps or crawls, regardless of size or poison fang. A native of South America, the king snake is between sft and oft long, and no thicker than a /nan's thumb. Built in every muscle and bone for speed and power, there is not another snake in tiie world that can withstand his assault. Hs is immun. to th© poison of the cobra and of the rattlo-snake alike, and the strength of a fully-grown, python has no terroxs for him. Within five minutes from the ope-ning of the fight, the king snake could kill the biggest python that ever lived. Ferocious as the little constrictor is toward his own kind, toward man he is friendly, and rarely trice to escape when met afield.

Spurs on His Wings. — One of the most remarkable curiosities in the world, probably, in the bird line is the kamichi, the wing of which is armed with spurs. This odd creature is found in Brazil, Guiana, and Colombia, and inhabits the deepest fore=te along the water courses. This large black bird is very remarkable for the strength of its voice, which has powerful and peculiar guttural notei-. It bears on eacb wing wo powerful spurs, and on its head a pointed horn, three or four inches long. The two spurs on each wing are directed forward when the wing is folded. These spurs are the outgrowth of the metacirpal bone, and arise from the anterior part of the wo extremities ol this bone. The upper bone is larger, and is triangular, about two inches long, and slightly curved at the end. A party of explorcrg and naturalists captured one recently, which is now in the London Zoological Garden. It is \ery tame in its demeanour toward human beings, but puts itself on the defensive as soon as it sees a dog. It knows how to make Mich good use of its spurs that it can put the enemy to flight by a singlo stioke- Bt-^id-co these weapons on its wings the kamichi has a very strong beak, and hard resistant claws.

Ire-land's Animals — It is not "Correct to pay that there are no frogs or toads in Ireland, though it is veiy remarkable that tho common toad_ is not found there. The natterjack toad is a native of Kerry, though it does not appear to bo found elsewhere. It is an example of the mania which somo people have for meddling with Nature that a Dr Ouithers, in 1699. took the trouble + o proem e frogs' spawn from England, since which tiino they haie multiplied in lioV.nd. But the common lizprd is found in many paits of the island. The slowwoiin is not.

Though tha common toad, and till recent) time? the frog was not found in Ireland, ifc is worth remembering that the English reptiles and batrachians are very local in. their distiibution. The natterjack toad is only found in certain countries. The edible frog was formerly only found in Foiilmire> Fen, in Cambridgeshire, and Ihe> sand lizard! is most capricious in the choice of a home. The "beautiful green JaoGrtae,' which Gil'f brat White saw on the sunny banks near Farnham, are to be found there etill, the malets being of the green colour ; and al6O near Bournemouth, and in Dorsetshire beyond Took Harbour. Yet there are many suitable places where none are sEen, andl then they reappear again on some sandhills on the coast of Lancashire, near Southport. On the other hand, the absence of many species in Ireland' which are, or were, commonly found in the larger island can only be explained on the supposition that they never reached the country. Among thesei are the wildcat, the polecat, and the weasel. Yet the martin always plentiful on the other side of St. Georga'o Channel ; and l stoats abound in the west. Five of the 14species of bat found in England havo nob been taken in Ireland, neither is the common shrew found there, or the water-shrew, or the mole, though the last ie found in Anglesey. Only cix of the 15 BriLish rodents are found in Ireland, and of these, one, the equirrel, was probably introduced. Neither is the roe deer indigenous. In cupport of the general theory that the immigration of the English fauna was difficult m the earlier periods, and subsequently checked, altogether, may be cited the analogous inetarice of the laic of Alan. There, as in Ireland, there are no moles, no snakes, andl no toads. — London Spectator.