New-York tribune., 1890-06-07
OUTLANDISH PETS.
From The saturday Review.

losicsl Gardens. offered so freely that the auDrtes
i2d themselves Compelled to decline receiving ing them
rieties q pets have long been wanted to math the
growing eccentricty Of our household decorators;
lady whose enrance-hal Is built up TO the senblance
of Calrene interior, with bona-de carvings frm tie
old Mosqueh, dado Of plaques from Damascus. ana |
room is Indian dining groom japanese, b9ndor Louis |
Seize and salon museum of cosmopolita tan bric-a,
meet ali the varied necessities Of the situation. That
delightful little creature the meercat Is penil,ary
proves to have certain dement's In fact considering
the great number of preety and harmless animals 10
curious that so few should be adapted for dawing
room existence & In tins ,n nSeea o amy
outlandsh pet as we can testify but the demand Is
best all round but they have their faults, rd, be- |
sides, they terribly liable TO consumptioi Our
very trying to animals that live underground in the
south African veldt. We ourselves kept ,ne for
The scenes of its illness and death from Inflammation
Of the lungs are pathetic to the degree which only
those who have kept msercsts D e2gd credit M 'o
the Regents Park and the authorities were over
Sysd they iS resc seT had e and the nd
comfort of those who cherish these pes 70 learn
hai sd e and se t ar weVe they may have been
It is not worth while to describe animals easily
observed at this day. In brief the mecrca resembles
chubby weasel nine or ten inches In length me shor,
Slack velvet the Iovelest Of eyes and the skiet Of
ashes, small unceasng, cooling cry, most restfnl
them sitting upright by the hearth, with pendent
paws its manner is. watching every movement IN
the room--or outside tlfs understanding lts
note continually as fances pass through It's shrewd
little brain, delights the dullest soul. 1t has an eA-
traordnary range of voice mounting from the soft coo
to bark Of passionby no means agreeable TO hear
one could hardly exaggerate the charm OF tins PEI.
Upon the other hand, we must not conceal that tie
Yields It's independence. and be resolved 70 for
bid any diversion which its little heart is set our
experience strongly advises that IL be thrust into us
cage with the utmost promptltude. Those pretty
teeth sharp as needles and keen as razors
II cannot be induced 10 respect the carpet scratching
it up like a terrier at rabbthole, chatterng me
while in eager, bustling tone most musical when
warns thej housewife, fortunately. special care Is
needed, however. when you interrupt your cat at
this work. And those we have known would not en-
dure dog, We have known an exception to TINS
rule, but 1t is taken for granted in south Africa
The dauntess rage OF the tiny creature ii springs
TO attack mastiG Newfoundland with kind Of
choking appears TO terrify the fercest dog
we never saw one stand It's ground and they say on
the veldt that the the reercat is always victorious,
leapng TO his enemys throat at bound and severing
several other animals are domestcated in south
Africa. but rarely for it is not worth while 10 tame
them There is the Cape marmot intimate friend
Of the meercat-partner of is house. indeed, II not
antelopes are sometimes, but both painfully mid
There Is antelope, hcweyer-not found IN those
I%c ra,ee loved Of p6eS who represcnt il as gentle
above all things such Is not onr experience. 9n.te
Ing the stranger mad bu is in IL with the mild
gazele while FOR promptitude in making mp lis mind
and activity in pursuing tie routed foe it may be
pared TO an angry wasp These pecuiarities make u
A most amusing creature. Of course, for the young
people But we recall very interesting pet in south
Africa This was mayhcn--a tall bird Of the crane
family as unscientihc impression goes dlstln-
enIshed by dadem of singular beauty. II lived in
stable at the end Of the street in Hopetown-One
might use the definite article at that time. for there
was but one At the opposite end lived a Kafir crane
in another stable Both bird were Jet out carly 10
pick up their living on the vcdt II me crane was was
set free first IL roamcd aimlessy mp and down nntu
the mayh found II. and then their greeting was
pretty. But If the latter was earliest ,llc .tart"1 .tart
up the road with ha,ty strides turning her graceihI
head neither to right left took post at the stable
door. and there awaited her friend Ihev spent the
The MAYHEM passed her dwelling If they entered
the that way-anf stalked along 70 the crane
stable. saw It 30 in and went 10 her nest THIS
pleasing little spectacle had been show for strangers
a good long while when saw II doubtless one
of tbe friends Is dead now IL not both. and
We would ike TO hear how tie sur,,vor bore he
shock We have regarded mayhenS ever since WIN
tenderness surely the keeper At me 700 nt os ha.e
under their charge When broke into the hlnG
pry.e COURTYARD In the palace AT Coopa,se Of these
stretched and crest nOdding eagerly. 30 fani,lea
Sod %s s Ssy "a :" be- sTs natural food for T We we're
prlsod hnd the species so far 10 me norm es ns
thcbye the Ashsntee monarch, or some Of he "ys, Tn
had a love for tortoises more than American Inc
court @ said was Uttered Win them .., ,r, there +,
OF pet birds do not desire ~ speak PM , tnerr
one species or perhaps variety, 70 which stt"huoh
,hgud bo called The the Yellow parSkeeI ~ pa
There is specimen of in Europe we have been cen
told. But among the nnuneIable parrnsrI % oc oip p
loving disposition That is stupid family ndeen 1
but the Mombasno Beco as sarTo N aS m knownrness
and the tanest Of pigeons In its affection IL may , Dc
"a Sa,ive aHs County one Of the frrh which dwell
most distinctly In our recollection ater aie ot ~
=" sever letter Of Introduction on the very day Of
landing; when IN little belt Of timber near the nous
curassows swooped from the trees above and actually
overwhelmed us Lighting on our so&urerS & SnreIv S,
crying and surocating under their warm breasi.'
The monsoose s not pretty enough 70 & Ge IS pet eH N
rancous charm. An Anglo Indian lady VINO cnetlSne9 t
her goose does not distinguish MS personal las'ht
eon o snrc o as % We should wish that he cobras
! buf every one gives him credit Tor that virtue,
and undoubtedly he Kills rats; tba lnesg maSsools
viii attack a snake he VIII attack any thing that
dear lost lingo when ball rundled IN hl' slgh
and some one held him. approached dcments' me iic
also ended his days IN the 100 on uvPoff', ,,,p,,i
mongoose is certainly one of the droc'' oi sn@.ld' @
and we arc not aware that he has any iaHlt eN'cpt
mischief of the personal cass-tha T., Ne car nom Sen
ing. and does not very often carry tn-s 10 , M ;n
| But for humorous surprises he has unc4ualIen IN
gcnuy Owing TO the arranEemcma ' :, o thc aoor
II strange lady entered Juso slipped ont "t slght
not for nervousness or tlmidty he was
with those feelings. Then he cIcpt up t'p H XII :
| stur with never a rustic and when inc lduN Wa
most interested In the exposition OF her ousmc'' e
| stretched his long body and introduced very coo,
| shorn nose between her hair and her colltr-wlth
| res,,its which we need not detail. That TINS wa,
| pure conscious fun. one familiar win Jlnso 'ouu
donbt II would have been les, crcctNc htd ne hech
prrttlcr but les objectionable also Ih''' VINO me
| ms sort II thing and no draWha U Ht'l' ~
| eyes uncraceful form aud rondc>'rpt color shoui
get a monrOO>c. .,,,
| We have known some engaging hcarN,not tne
awful Russian bear but those little black lcIoNs
| colied :. Honey, or Nalayan.' \ Russian bear i
'nns trosy droll durc the fir, few months of IL e\
stoncc but il begins 10 quarrel and fight a. soon a ~
| can see unless kept by itself There Is very . Wr..
rrn rcst,nrant behind the Hotel Il Angrtcrrc IN ~
Petersbnrg where hams and steaks. and pa",-pcr,,
haps Of bear-oan always be louhd III INC s,SoI' "
! ynnng ones are on sale. We nearly bought Hn>.
| amusing little specimen once, but on demand wy wy
Tartar produced, very unwngN, us hrotncT sra S.c
s,ster The three battle AT SlEht. ana pcl'Iu
they could be separated one lost Al eye h1aCS ~
hears have no such vicious disposition. ana one '
,"o,o iomcsticatcd sometimes IN the Further East
ihex are always bcarsh however. which j. not wholly
a,rrrIsinp-apt Ia give serious wounds ~ pure INV"