Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-06-08

life of animals, must have often been as.
tonished at the manner in which variou.
--~-A--------A.----~sss Tvr--encfr mrdeess
| protection, or mutual benefit.
We have, fortunately, had many oppor.
tunities of watching the conduct of variou:
creatures in their native homes, and the
delight that any lover of nature experiences
in thus contemplating the wise acts of the
animal creation, far exceeds the savage
| JOY of the mere slaughterer or sportsman
Hours and days have been happily passed
whilst watching the skillful Golden Oriels
weaving their retort-shaped nests among
the pendant branches which overhung an
African stream. Often have we ENJOYED a
good laugh as we witnessed the futile at
tempts of an inexperienced grey monkey to
grasp the nests of these birds and extract
the eggs; attempts which almost always
resulted in giving the adventurer duck.
ing. Whether we examine the skilled de-
tails of work shoFn in beehive or ants
nest, the combined efforts of pack of wild
dogs to hunt down their prey. or the archi-
tectural skill of village of beavers, we
may invariably find traces of that same
great Wisdom which holds planet in its
orbit, and makes the world a sphere.
There are many creatures, however, to
which we are not accustomed to attribute
any special powers of skill or combination,
and which We usually regard as stupid and
almost unworthy OF notice Thus, who
would be disposed to believe a rat a very
clever fellow in his way, and able to plot
and carry out most formidable rebellion
against a tyrant? Yet such case happened
within our own experience.
/ A friend of our own, a skilled natural
| ist, possessed cat, which was rather old,
though still strong and active This cat
was terror to a colony of rats which in
habited the neighbouring pigstyes, banks,
and hedgerows. Many a rat was brought
by Pussy and deposited with great pride
at her masters feet.
During several weeks this sport con-
tinued, but one morning Pussy came in
from her kennel, looking dirty, rumpled,
and scarcely able to crawl. The natural
list examined his pet, and his skilled eye
soon saw the cause Pussy was sevetely
/ bitten by rats in twenty or thirty pltes.
An examination of the scene of action
plainly showed that there had been a
battle-royal at least dozen rats must
have combined, and coming on Pussy in a
body had so punished her, that she died
! few days afterwards from the effects of
their bites.
Not long since we were passing poultry
yard in which were several turkeys and
fowls. Whilst watching these creatures,
a dispute occurred between turkey and
hen, relative to some food ; the old hen
cackled forth her displeasure loudly, when
instantly the turkeys rushed to the scene
of dispute and surrounded the disputing
turkey. Forming a ring round him, they
dropped their wings and lowered their
heads, whilst they all uttered low gram
bling kind of sound. The turkey in their
midst tapped its wings in despairinp
manner, and gobbled loudly.
This strange scene lasted fully minute,
after which one of the largest turkeys
jumped at the prisoner and pecked him
severely; then another rushed at him, and
so on, each turkey giving several pecks at
the one that had evidently been tried BY
jury Of his fellows, and found guilty of
trying to rob a hen Of its food.
Among the larger animals such cases
are BY no means uncommon. Elephants,
we have often heard, in their wild STATE
signal to their fellows when danger is near ::
and We are convinced that these creatures
have several calls, or trumpet-like sounds.
which mean special things, such as dan
ger feed all right, &c.
A very curious case of a combination on
the part of animals to rid themselves of a
foe occurred near the Winterberg, a noun
tain to the north Of the eastern frontier of
the Cape of Good Hope
In this locality there were several troops
OF balloons, young and old, which resided
IN the deep rocky ravines, and gambolled
among the fearful precipices around. Very
human were these creatures in their an.
pearance and habits, especially when sud
denly alarmed; the mammas were then
seen to catch M their ynnng onas. -.A0
chung round their parents necks, and were
thus carried rapidly to the summit of the
rocks, where they would grimace and
cough out their defiance at the intruder
who had rcntured into their domain.
An enemy, however, once found his vnv
into their stronghold, and this was an enc
my hungry, cunning, and powerful. II
was a Cape leopard.
Crouching down among the long grass
or amidst the crevices of the rocks a.
leopard would suddenly spring upon =
young baboon, and actually devour il be-
fore the eyes of its screeching parents
Strong as is a baboon, the leopard is vst
Tar stronger, and with its terrible claws
could soon tear to pieces the largest male
baboon.
During some days the leopard feast.
on balloons, but at length these creatnra{
combined, and jointly attacked the leoparJt
They did not really mean to risk pitched |
battle with him, for these creatures av;'
IDENTIFY knew and respected his great nov.
ers. They had, too. as the result proved
determined on safer and more craf,g
method of proceeding.
The leopard, fearing the combined
strength of his adversaries, left tbe;-
neighborhood, and retreated across CON-
try, but he was followed by nearly all ths
large balloons '"e
On went the leopard on followed tn
balloons. The day was hot, and the Ieo5
lrd dlsllked this perpetual tramping. and
20 tried to seek retreat and lie down ard
est. Then it was that the balloons closa5
'ound and worried him. Soon, too. he h.
gan to thirst, his tongue hanging out of his |
mouth, and the white foam covering b;s
avs.