Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-01-27
OLD AGE ANIMALS.


tury. Whether our domesticated ami
mails share in this advance is point
not easily ascertainable, though they
must certainly benefit from the great
er care generally bestowed upon them,
and from the increased efforts made to
understand and supply their wants
The ancients were inclined to attrlb-
ute lengths Of days to such beasts or
birds as they specially venerated; but,
fabulous as many of their assumptions
doubtless were, they yet seem to have
been founded upon true recognition
OF the classes or types ofanimals which
often attain 70 a great age.
Ravens, parrots, and among fishes
the carp, have in modern times gone
far 70 Justify the former belief lii their
longevity. There is at the present
time in the Geological Gardens OF Phil
adelphia a cockatoo known to be above
eighty-fve years old, the bird being
still sprightly and thriving-''very gar
rulous and very cross" Until two
years ago the inhabitant Of our collec-
ton was a black Nassa parrot from
Madagascar, who died after q resi-
dence of fifty-four years in the Regents
Park gardens This was an adult bird
when received there, but its age at
that time was unknown Another par
rot died last year in Paris at the re-
puted age of 103 years; and since it
was handed down by will TO several
successive owners, its longevity may
be accepted as fact fully established.
In France ravens have been known to
live more than a hundred years, and
there is one well-authenticated in
stance of an Octogenarian pelican.
Geese are naturally a longlived fami
ly, and there are several records OF
birds attaining TO sixty or seventy
wears. A sky-lark is known to have
lived twenty-four years in cage; and
the death OF ringdove was lately
chroniced which had lived twent"-si1
wears in confinement
Carp are commonly regarded as the
patriarchs of fresh-water fish, though
there is no actual proof that they out
live the members of some other spe-
cies. Last year the famous lake on
the Duke of Newcastle's estate at
Clumber, which had not been emptied
for 200 years, was drained off, when
thousands of pike were found, some OF
probably OF unusual age; but in the
absence Of means OF identification II is
impossible to speak positively on this
point The extreme tameness and do
cility Of carp led to the fashion OF keep
ing them as pets, in which condition
particular individuals came under
closer scrutiny; and the records OF
very aged fish-frOm one TO two hun
dred years old-are numerous. One
taken in Germany year ago had a
ring through its lower jaw, on which
il was recorded that the bearer was
placed in a particular water in 1918
This appears hardly credible, but there
is little douh. that many carp have
lived for upwards of hundred years.
Anotice lately appeared Of the death
of brown water-spaniel at the age OF
twenty-eight years. She bad belonged
TO the same owner from puppy. and
died literally of sheer old age" \
few months before a cat died at the
age of twenty-five yeGfs' and two
months. These are very unusGsi ages,
though it is probable that some indi-
viduals have lived still longer Her
biyorous animals are generally thought
TO outlive carniyorous ones aGi Of thu
former class those dedicated e. l6'or
appear to furnish the largest number
of instances Of longevity Two years
ago a donkey died at Cromarty that
was known 20 be at least l06 years old.
Ii could be traced back 10 the year
1889. when. at an unknown age, il
came into the hands Of the hen Ross
of Cromarty, and it lived IN the sgme
family, hale and hearty, unit! d Kick
from u horse ended its career. No
horse is known 70 have attained any
thing like such an age as this, but
few have lived to ages varying from
forty to fifty years. \ famous old
barge horse died at Warrington in his
sixty second year, and the Oldest horse
known in New York was, until quite
recently. doing steady work there at
thirty-eight years Of age. \ few
months ago, also, a mule forty-six
years old died at Philadelphia.
Obviously there can be but few reli-
able data for determining the average
ages of wild animals, and our nearest
approximation must be founded upon
the observation Of similar creatures in
a state of captivity. Some Of the rep
tiles undoubtedly live very long. Gil
bert White. who had personal know
ledge of tortoise thirty years old, re-
cords the tradition OF another sup
posed t. be a hundred Our know
ledge of the duration of certain forms
Of insect life is very inadequate, and it
was a genuine surprise to most OF us
TO hear that Sir John Lubbock had
been on friendly terms with queen
ant" for fourteen years.
or all aged animals the horse and
dog appeal most nearly TO the human
sympathies 1t is not merely that
they have been our faithful servants