San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-31
Animals Toilets.

uOiutl DdyS.
AS rule, all animals are Clearly
by nature. Even pigs will keep
clean If they are not confined in Q
pen or yard Brushes and combs
most animals carry with them, and
ducks and divers are always supplied
with oil in a handy reservoir.
Birds, especially, are very particu-
lar 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 or
dust, others dust and no water.
Partridges are good example of
the busting birds, and are most care
full In the selection of their dust
baths. Dry loan suits them best;
but perhaps their favOrite place is
meadow where few turfs have been
removed. There they scratch out
the loan and shuttle back wards un-
der the grass roots till their feathers
are full of the cool earth. In wet
weather they find, if possible, heap
of burnt ashes on the site of weed
fire, and dust there.
Sparrows, on the contrary, always
choose road dust, the dryest and the
finest possible. Meadow larks also
are fond of the road, and dust there
In the early morning. But they, too,
have their fancy, and choose the dry,
gritt part, where the horses hoofs
tread.
Wild ducks, though feeding by the
salt water, prefer to battle in flesh
water pools, and will fly long dis
tances inland to running brooks and
40 -
| themselves in the most vigorous and
thorough way.
But though passing so much time
on the water ducks seem to prefer
shower rath to any, and in q heavy
rain they may be seen opening their
feathers and allowing the rain to
soak in, after which they dress the
whole surface with oil from the
reservoir which we mentioned above.
Swallows and martins are likewise
nice i'm their choice of bath water;
nothing but newIy-fall, n rainwater
thoroughly pleases them, and, IL
tempted to battle, 1t is generally by
some shallow pool in the road which
en- hours sun will evaporate.
Cats, large and small, make the
most careful toilets of any class of
animal, with the exception of some of
the opossums. The lions and tigers
wash themselves in exactly the same,
manner as the cat, wetting the dark
Ipdia-rubber-like ball of the fore foot
and the inner toe, and passing il over
the face and behind the ears. The
foot is thus at the same time q face
sponge and brush, and the rough
tongue combs the rest of the body.
Sporting dogs, which are used in
mud snow and wet, are strangely
clever and quick in cleaning and
drying their coats, and it is a sure
sign that dog has been over-tired If
he shows any trace of mud or DIRT.
next morning.
Most of their toilet is done with the
tongue, but they are very clever at
using q bush or the side of haystack.
as a rough towel. One small. spaniel
which was allowed to live in the.
house: was well aware that if he re-
turned distr he would not be admit
ted indoors.
About an hour before the close of
the days shooting he used to strike
work and begin to clean himself,
and If urged to do more, would slip
off home and present himself neat
and clean in the dining room.
One day the dog had been left at
home ard his master returned and
seated himself, wet, and with half
frozen drops of ice sticking to his gait
ers, by the fire.
Pan ran up and carefully licked off
the frozen ice and snow, stopping ev-
cry now and then to give an anxious
look, which said as plainly as pos
sible:
"Dear mel If L don't get him clean
quickly, he will be sent to lie in the
stable"
jailed for Theft.