THE ELEPHANT AND OTHER BEASTS.

Alice L. Hale Jan 1st 1848

The Lucile Clarke MEMORIAL Children's Library

THE ELEPHANT.

ELEPHANTS are often called sagacious animals; that is, they are very intelligent or knowing, so that it sometimes seems as if they could reason like men. They have a very long nose or snout, which is called a trunk, and this trunk has something like a human thumb at the end of it. In the picture, the elephant is fanning a little child with the branch of a tree, which he holds in his trunk! When they wish to eat, elephants take up their food in their trunks, and put it in their mouths; and when they drink, they suck up the water with their trunks, and squirt it into their own mouths.

Elephants are used in war, in some parts of the world. They are very strong and powerful to bear burdens, or to tread down the enemy.

THE RHINOCEROS.

THIS animal is remarkable for three things, viz.: its strength, skin and horn. It has been known to push an elephant some distance with its head, and to tear up trees by the roots. It is, however, harmless if not meddled with. Its skin is laid in folds all over its body, and is so tough that a bullet can scarcely pass through it. The horn is about nine inches long, and is situated on the front part of the head, below the eyes.

In general appearance, the Rhinoceros is not unlike the hog, and like the hog it loves to wallow in the mud.

THE BEAR.

THIS is an ugly and destructive animal, and a great enemy to farmers in thinly settled countries. Bears tear up corn, and devour sheep and young cattle. Like the Rhinoceros, the bear is very powerful. It climbs trees like a cat, and makes its den, sometimes in a cave, and sometimes in a hollow log or tree.

Bears are very rarely seen in large numbers, generally not more than two at a time. They seldom attack men, except when hungry, or provoked. Bears are very savage when they have young ones.

THE ZEBRA.

THIS is one of the most graceful and beautiful of all animals. It inhabits the deserts of Africa, and runs in troops. Zebras are often attacked by the lion, and usually as they go to drink. Their food is generally hard dry herbs, and they are not to be tamed unless when taken very young.

Some travellers state that it is sometimes dangerous to approach these animals, for they are very strong, and if suddenly attacked they defend themselves courageously.

THE JERBOA.

THIS is one of the most curious and beautiful little animals that is known. It is only found in eastern countries.

The Jerboa is very timid, and lives in large companies, burrowing under the ground. Its hind legs are very long and powerful, and it leaps along with the greatest swiftness. Its size is about that of a large rat, and sometimes it is caught and eaten. Its flesh, however, does not make very good food, being hard and almost tasteless.

THE CAMEL.

CAMELS have been called the most useful animals in the world, and they certainly are very useful in their own country. They are found chiefly in Arabia. Their feet are very curious, being soft and spongy on the sole, so as to spread out, and prevent their sinking in the sand. Their strength is very great, and their stomachs are so formed as to hold water for a great many days, so that they can go without drinking for weeks together. They have a curious hump on their backs, as you see in this beautiful picture.

THE TIGER.

THIS splendid animal is never seen in our country, unless it is in collections of wild beasts, called menageries. The Tiger is of a fine yellow colour, except the black stripes which you see in the cut. He is very savage and greedy, and lives on smaller animals, and sometimes devours men.

It is said that when the Tiger has once tasted human blood, he always wants it afterwards, and gets it when he can. He is very much like a cat in his disposition and habits, and if he was no larger than a cat he might perhaps be tamed.

THE HYENA.

THERE are several kinds of hyenas, but they are all equally fierce and ugly. They sometimes go singly, and sometimes in troops, and kill sheep and lambs, and suck their blood. Hyenas are always quarreling and snarling with each other, and are very cowardly; scarcely daring to attack a single man, except when they are very hungry.

No one is ever known to have tamed a hyena, though many persons have tried. Their colour is gray, striped with black.

THE LEOPARD.

THE Leopard is very much like the tiger, in its habits, and in every thing, except that it is spotted instead of striped. Its motions are easy and graceful, and its strength fully equal to its size. Tigers, leopards, lions, cats, and some other creatures, belong to what is called the Cat tribe. These all have claws, which they can push out or draw in as they please, and a sort of cushion on the soles of their feet, so that they come down lightly when they jump, and can run without noise. They all have smooth fur, and are very sly and active.

THE LION.

LIONS belong to the cat tribe. They have very great strength. A lion has been known to break a horse's back by a blow with his paw, and knock a man down with his tail. Lions live in pairs, and the females are very fond of their young.

The male is known from the female by his having a mane (as it is called) upon his neck, and by his being larger and stouter. Lions, and indeed all the cat tribe, live on flesh. Lions are sometimes tamed, and become very fond of their keepers.

THE ZEBU.

THIS creature is found in India. It is somewhat larger than a common ox, and has a curious hump over its shoulders. It is of different colours, but generally gray. It has short thick horns, and large ears.

Zebus are very gentle, and are used to draw carts, and even for riding, in India. Some of them are thought to be holy by the natives, and nobody dares to do any thing to such, not even to make them get up when they lie down in the street. How sad to think that human beings can be so foolish and wicked!

THE IBEX.

THIS is a sort of goat. It has long horns, bending back, and has also fine hair. It lives in the mountains, and leaps from one peak to another, without the least fear. Ibexes are sometimes hunted for their skins and meat, but the pursuit of them is dangerous, for when they find the hunter coming up to them, they often turn upon him, and push him down steep precipices. Ibexes, like other creatures of the goat tribe, have their hair short in summer and longer in winter.

THE STAG.

THIS noble animal is now found chiefly in England, and there only in the parks of rich people. A park is a very large enclosed piece of ground, with beautiful trees, among which deer of different kinds are kept.

The Stag is a favourite animal. They are graceful, and have beautiful horns, like those in the picture. It has been said that they shed their horns every spring; that is, their horns drop off, and new ones grow out in place of them; but it is not so.

THE SYRIAN GOAT.

THIS is a kind of goat found only in Syria, a country in the east. It has very long, fine hair, and curious ears, which hang down upon each side of its face, and give it a singular look. It is of the same tribe with the Ibex, and, like it, is very active and hardy. It gives good milk. Aleppo, a city in Syria, is entirely supplied with goats' milk, no other kind being used. The people of that country make coats of goats' skin, weaving them with the hair on.

We hope none of our young readers ever forget that God made all the beasts of the field as well as the fish of the sea and the fowls of the air, and man to have dominion over them all.