Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-04-01
Life In the Animal World.

A Middleburg (Pa.) mouse tunneled
nm ear OF corn, built her nest in 1t, and
was living on the grain on the outside.
The ear was 81 inches In length and "a
inches in circumference, and IL con-
tanned 600 grains of corn.
A drunken sparrow was recently seen
on the streets of Easton, Pa, and was
picked up and cared for by peanut
vender until 1t became sober. Someone
had dropped flask of whisky on the
sidewalk, and the bird drank OF the
liquor until 1t staggered and fell.
Monkeys are caught in Africa by
means of iermented beer. 1t is placed
by the natives within reach, and as soon
MS one monkey tastes it he screams with
Joy, and many answer his call. They
soon get too drunk To realize the ap-
proach of II person, and are easily cap
jured.
A missionary living among the Dutch
Beers of Natal says that hunting party
came upon large herd of elephants,
and as they fired Mt the leader the entire
herd fled. They were in "a valley, and
in trying to escape they ran around in
circle three hundred yards in diameter,
and were shot down. After awhile
new leader broke out Of the beaten
track, and led off the remainder of the
herd in safety. Ninety elephants lay
dead in the valley, and each mans share
OF the valuable tusks of ivory was con-
siderable.
Russian wolves show great sagacity in
the capture of wild horses. They roll
and irisk about until the unsuspecting
victim is completely put of his guard.
One wolf then approaches the horses
head, and another his tail. Both wolves
then spring Mt their victim at the same
instant-oue Mt the throat, and the other
at the flanks-and they do not let go
until the horse is disabled. The horse
turns round and round without attempt
ing defense, and is soon on its side, and
the victory is won. At n signal the
pack close in. but the small fry wait un-
TIL their superiors are gorged.
A traveller in the forests of Brazil saw
hairy spider with a body two inches
long, and eight legs, measuring seven
inches each. 1t was on "A tree trunk be-
meath deep crevice, across which was
stretched dense white web. The lower
part of the web was broken, and two
small finches were entangled in the
pieces. One was still alive. but died
soon after its rescue. The hairs of these
crab spiders come off when touched and
cause maddening irritation. He says
that he saw the children of an Indian
| family with one of these monsters Sc
cured by Il cord and leading it about the
house like dog.
Old Jake is one-eyed pointer dog of
! Sardis, Miss. On cold, rainy day lie
made n call on an old sportsman, and
spent the afternoon by the fire. When
bedtime came he was driven out and the
door-thumb bolted on the inside. In the
course of the night he was awakened by
n cold wind blowing on him. Hearing
n slight noise ut the fire, he looked, and
there sat old Jake. The fire had nearly
died out, and the dog was putting the
chunks together with his paws, and act
ually blowing the dying embers The
man got out of his bed, put on more
wood, made n pallet for Jake near the
fire, closed the door and again retired.
When Henry Lascar. of Lafayette
Corners, Pa, returned from days hunt
he looked as though he had been put
through threshing machine. He went
to a panther's den, crawled in, and,
drawing a bead on the animal, fired
When he recovered consciousness the
panther was tossing him about rs a cat
does mouse, and with one stroke of her
paw she sent him headlong outside the
cave. Early in the fight Lascar's rifle
was made useless by breaking the nip
pie. The animal tore his face in shreds.
With hundred wounds on his body
and his clothing torn TO ribbons, the old
man was well nigh exhausted, when, by
an almost superhuman effort, he reached
his hunting-knife,a and. by well-directed
blow. quieted the beast.