Part 1

CONCERNING ANIMALS AND OTHER MATTERS

BY E.H. AITKEN ("EHA")

AUTHOR OF "FIVE WINDOWS OF THE SOUL," "TRIBES ON MY FRONTIER," ETC.

WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR BY

SURGEON-GENERAL W.B. BANNERMAN I.M.S., C.S.I.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY J A. SHEPHERD AND A PORTRAIT

LONDON

1914

CONTENTS

"EHA"

I FEET AND HANDS II BILLS OF BIRDS III TAILS IV NOSES V EARS VI TOMMY VII THE BARN OWL VIII DOMESTIC ANIMALS IX SNAKES X THE INDIAN SNAKE-CHARMER XI CURES FOR SNAKE-BITE XII THE COBRA BUNGALOW XIII THE PANTHER I DID NOT SHOOT XIV THE PURBHOO XV THE COCONUT TREE XVI THE BETEL NUT XVII A HINDU FESTIVAL XVIII INDIAN POVERTY XIX BORROWED INDIAN WORDS

Special thanks are due to the Editors and Proprietors of the Strand Magazine, Pall Mall Magazine and Times of India for their courtesy in permitting the reprinting of the articles in this book which originally appeared in their columns.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

HALF-TONES

"EHA"

THE NOSE OF THE ELEPHANT BECOMING A HAND HAS REDEEMED ITS MIND

GOOD FOR ANY ROUGH JOB

HERE THE COMPETITION HAS BEEN VERY KEEN INDEED

THE RAT IS A NEAR RELATION OF THE SQUIRREL ZOOLOGICALLY BUT PERSONALLY HE IS A GUTTER-SNIPE, AND YOU MAY KNOW THAT BY ONE LOOK AT THE TAIL, WHICH HE DRAGS AFTER HIM LIKE A DIRTY ROPE

A BLACKBIRD AND A STARLING--THE ONE LIFTS ITS SKIRTS, WHILE THE OTHER WEARS A WALKING DRESS

THE NOSTRILS OF THE APTERYX ARE AT THE TIP OF ITS BEAK

THE LONG-NOSED MONKEY

LINE BLOCKS

AN AUTHENTIC STANDARD FOOT

THESE BEASTS ARE ALL CLODHOPPERS, AND THEIR FEET ARE HOBNAILED BOOTS

IT HAS TO DOUBLE THEM UNDER AND HOBBLE ABOUT LIKE A CHINESE LADY

NO DOUBT EACH BIRD SWEARS BY ITS OWN PATTERN

ITS BILL DESERVES STUDY