The Dickinson press., 1890-11-29
TOILETS OF ANIMALS.
SAND BATHS AND WATER BATHS
FOR BEASTS AND BIRDS.

NAusI wi the Snialler creatures arc MORO
Particular with Their Appearance Than
IL Large Fart of the Human Family.
Mcthods Of Some of the Birds.
Brushes and combs most animals carry
with them. ''Brilliantinc' also is car
ried i'll a small and handy reservoir by
all ducks and divers. Mud serves for
cold cream and vaseline; dust for fnller's
earth and pearl powder, and water, as
with us, is perhaps tho most important
necessary. But birds especially are
mighty particular about the quality of
their 'toilet dust" and equally nice as
to the water in which they prefer to
wash. Some use water only, some water
OF dust. others dust and no water. Par
fridge are Il g0ot! example OF the busting
birds, and are most careful in the selcc-
ton ii their dus: baths. Dry loan suits
thea best.
Bat perhaps their iavo,ite place is Il
meadow where a few turfs have been re-
moved. There they scratch out the
loan, and shuttle backward under tho
grass roots lin their feathers are full of
the cool! earth. Iu wet weather they
find, il loaSible, Il heap Of lurnt ashes
on the site Of a Weed fire, and dust there.
Spulruws. ul the contrary, always
ci,nose roa,i dust, the dryest and finest
possible. i:irl;s also are fond of the
road, aul dust there in the carly morn
ing. i'nt they, too, have tIloir fancy,
and choose the dry, gritty part where
the horses hoofs tread.
Wild ducks, though feeding by the
salt water. prefer 10 wash i'll fresh water
pools, and will fly long distances inland
to running brooks and ponds, where
they prcer and wash themselves in the
early morning. But though passing SO
much time on til" water, ducks seem to
prefer II shower bath to amy other: and
i'll heavy rain they may be secn opening
their feathers and allowing the rain to
soa!: in, after which they dress the
Whole ~si,riace with oil from the rescr-
vuir which we mentioned above. Swal-
lows and martins are as nice i'll their
choice of bath water us any ''profes-
sional beautv;" nothing but newly fallen
rain water thoroughly plcascs them, and
if tempted 10 bathe, it is generally by
ON shallow pool in the Road which an
hours sun VIII cN:tnolate.
4 FALCONS B>Iil.
We have never seen hawks or falcons
bathing when wild. Trained birds in
good health battle almost daily, and the
bath of ~ %lelesline falcon is Il very care
full performance. But no nyInph could
he mere Jealous Of IL witness than these
Shy birds, and it is not until after many
careful Chances i'll every direction that
the falcon drsceIls from her block and
wadcs into the shallow bath. Then, af-
ter more suspicious slances, she thrusts
her broad head under tho water and
filings it ON her back. ut the same timo
raising the feathers and letting the drops
thoroughly soak them.
After bathing head and back she
spreads her wings aud tail fun like on
the water and rapidly opens and shuts
them, after which she stoops down and
sl'lashes the drops in every direction.
The bath over, she flies once more to
the block, and turning her back to tho
sun spreads every feather of the wing
and tail, raises those on the body and
assists the process of drying by u trcm-
ulous motion impaired to every quill,
looking more like an old ccrmorant on u
buoy than Il peregrinc.
Cats, large and small, make the most
careful toilet of any class of animal,
with the exception of some of the opos-
sums. The lions and tigers wash them
selves in exactly the same manner us the
cat, wetting tho dark. India rubber like
ball of the fore foot and the inner toe,
,,,1 7ncci,,,, !. ,,.,,. 41,,, r,., ,.,1 l,.l.:.1
the cars.
CLEANLINESS OF y DOG.
Ono OF the most charming pets we
have kept, and the most particular as to
washing and brushing its feet and fur,
WAS II lovely brown opossuIn from Tas-
mania. "Sooty phalangist' was, we be-
lieve, its scientific lalnc. 1t was COW
cred with deep rich brown fur, had a
face something like Il fox, a pink nose,
hands with Il nailless thumb, and long
claws OF the fingers. 1t washed it's feet
every two or three minutes.
Water rats ale very clean animals,
and wash and brush their faces ''like
Christians" We saw II VI n pond ut
Yelling, i'll Kent, swim out to pick up
the blossoms Of an acacia tree which
We're falling OH the water. After
daintily eating each flower on the bank
he licked his hands, wiped his mus
taches and swan off for another. We
also tried an acacia blossom, but except
Il slightly sweet flavor, could find moth
ing to account for tho rats taste for
them.
Sporting dogs, which are used il
mud, snow and wet, are strangely
clever and quick in cleaning and drying
their coats, and it is Il sure sign that a
dog has been over tired if he shows any
trace of mud OF dirt next morning.
Most OF their toilet is done with the
tongue, but they are very clever ut us
ing u thick box bush OF the side of a
haystack us q rough towel. One small
spaniel Which we allowed to live in the
house WAS we'll aware that it he returned
dirty he would not be admitted indoors.
About ;n noun before the close of tho
days shooting he used to strike work
and begin to clean himself. and if urged
to do more would slip off home and pre-
sent himself neat and clean i'll the din
ing room. One day the dog had been
left at home, and his master returned
and seated himself, wet md with half
frozen drops Of ice stickingto his CATERS,
by the fire. Pan ran up and carefully
licked off the frozen ice and snow, stop
ping every now and then to give an any
ious look, which said as plainly as pos
sible, Dear me, if l don't get him clean
quickly he will be sent to lie i'll the
stable."-Spectator.
The number of children who have de.
cayed teeth. and in many cases IL part OF
the first set gone and the second set
badly broken down, is too great.
iappy HoOsiers.
William Tiinmons, postmaster of Ida.
vile, Ind, writes: Electric Bitters
has done more for me than all othel
medicines combined, for that bad feel
ing arising from Kidney and Liver