Part 17

"The kind of dog used for coursing the kangaroo is, generally, a cross between the greyhound and the mastiff, or sheep-dog; but, in a climate like New South Wales, they have, to use the common phrase, too much lumber about them. The true-bred greyhound is the most useful dog. He has more wind; he ascends the hills with more ease, and runs double the number of courses in a day. He has more bottom in running; and, if he has less ferocity when he comes up with an 'old man,' so much the better, as he exposes himself the less, and lives to afford sport another day. The strongest and most courageous dog can seldom conquer a 'wool man' alone, and not one in fifty will face him fairly; the dog who has the temerity is certain to be disabled, if not killed.

"The herd of kangaroos we had thus come upon was too numerous to allow of the dogs' being let loose; but, as the day's walk was drawing to a close, I had given Maty Bill liberty to catch another kangaroo, if we should fall in with a single one. After moving up to the foot of the hill, about a quarter of a mile from the river, my sable companion eyed a 'corbon wool man,' as he called it, quietly feeding at a distance, on the slope of the hill. His eyes sparkled; he was all agitation; and he called out, 'Massa, massa! You tee! you tee! wool man! wool man! corbon wool man!' and off he ran with his dogs, till he was within a fair distance, when he slipped their collars. I was at this time on foot, and the whole of them, therefore, were soon out of my sight. They had turned round the bottom of the hill, in the direction of the river; and, as I was following them down, I heard the dogs at bay, and the shrill call of 'coo-oo-oo,' from my companion, to direct me to the spot; and, on turning the corner of the hill, I met him, running, and calling as fast and as loud as he could. As soon as he saw me, he stopped, and called out, 'Massa, massa! Make haste! Dingo (dogs) have got him in ribber. Many corbon wool man, all the same like it bullock.'

"All this was said in a breath; and as I could not pretend to run with him, I desired him to go as fast as he could, and help the dogs, till I should arrive. When I got up to the spot, he was in the middle of the river, with about two feet depth of water, while the kangaroo, sitting upright on its haunches, was keeping both him and the dogs at a respectful distance, and had laid bare the windpipe of one of the dogs. Billy's waddy was too short to reach him without coming to close quarters, and he knew better than to do that; at length he got behind him, and, with a blow on the head, he despatched him. No huntsman could have shown more ardor in the pursuit, or more pleasure at the death of a fox, than did poor Maty Bill upon this occasion. The kangaroo was so heavy, weighing about a hundred and fifty pounds, that he could not lift him out of the water, and we were obliged to leave him till our party arrived on the opposite side."

ORDER VI.

RODENTIA,

GNAWING ANIMALS.

This order embraces a considerable number of small animals, most of which possess a gentle and harmless character. They live upon vegetable matter, and a large proportion use their fore-paws in the manner of hands.

THE SQUIRREL.

Of this lively, pleasing genus, there is a considerable variety, especially in the temperate zone. They are very agile, and use their paws with much grace and dexterity, in handling their food.

Miscellaneous Anecdotes.--A squirrel, seated in a nut-tree, was once observed to weigh a nut in each paw, to discover by weight which was good; the light ones he invariably dropped, thus making a heap of them at the foot of the tree. On examining this heap, it was found to consist entirely of bad nuts.

A gentleman near Edinburgh took a common squirrel from a nest, which he reared, and rendered extremely docile. It was kept in a box, nailed against the wall, which was wired in front, and had a small aperture at the end, to allow the animal to enter. To the end of the box was suspended a rope, which touched the ground, by which the animal descended from and ascended to its domicile at pleasure. It became extremely playful, and was familiar with every one of the family, but devotedly attached to its master, who generally carried it about with him in his coat-pocket.

The little creature used to watch all its master's movements. Whenever it saw him preparing to go out, it ran up his legs, and entered his pocket, from whence it would peep out at passengers, as he walked along the streets--never venturing, however, to go out. But no sooner did he reach the outskirts of the city, than the squirrel leaped to the ground, ran along the road, ascended the tops of trees and hedges with the quickness of lightning, and nibbled at the leaves and bark; and, if he walked on, it would descend, scamper after him, and again enter his pocket. In this manner, it would amuse itself during a walk of miles, which its master frequently indulged in.

It was taught to catch food, roots, and acorns, with its fore-paws, which it accomplished with great neatness. It was also instructed to leap over a stick, held out to it, and perform various other little tricks.

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 quantity 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 passage 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 shore, 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 shore, 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 repass 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 deg. 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 assembled to gaze on the masses 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.