The record-union., 1893-02-27
Change in the Habits of the Wal
rus and Seal.
Antennal Language of Ants-ATection
of Parrots-The Abbot's Parrot
Marvellous Instinct of Benvenuto
CellinPs Dog.

6"HSS vi Iue same OrUer as our own
We do not say of the same degree, but
order.
In the early 'walrus fishing all desired
could easily be taken; not only did they
fearlessly swim near ships. but on the
land ventured some distance from the
shore, when sailors killed them in large
numbers. The sailors would range them
selves so as to cut off all retreat from
their victims. The walrus TRANQUILITY
watched these preparations. 1t evidently
only thought of flight after it had been
attacked and a number of the herd
already lay dead on the ground. The
assailants, forming an intrenchment
with the slain animals, easily took the
rest as they tried to cross and gain the
sea. Sometimes nearly a thousand were
thus killed at one assault.
In hunting the seal to-day all this is
changed. The animal eludes the fisher
man. 1t rarely ventures upon land or
Ice in large numbers. 1t never lies down
except close to the shore, and is con-
stantly on its guard and-note well this
clrcumstance-never goes to sleep until a
sentinel has been stationed to warn the
nerd OF any approaching enemy.
1hus, here is an animal which, under
the pressure of new circumstances, has
invented the Idea OF Watchmam.
AN AUSTRIAN TOAD.
There is no animal, even to the toad,
that does not show some signs of reason
and Intelligence. Here is an example.
reported several years ago by an Austrian
naturalist. school-master at Pichels-
dorf for some years watched a singular
case of intelligence in toad. 1t appears
that this animal, so useful to the farmer
in destroying beetles and other insects,
has a special fondness for bees and honey
one pleasant morning the schoolmaster
noticed IN front of his beehive a gray toad
occupied in swallowing bees; with
spade he threw it away.
The next day he again found toad in
front of the hive. 1t occurred to him
that 1t might be the same one, and, IN or
der to know certainly, he tied a piece of
blue thread to one of its hind feet and
then threw it into small stream at some
distance.
The third day the same toad was before
the hive. This time the schooimaster
had 1t carried far away. Two days after
the animal had found It's way back across
the fields.
The schoolmaster himself then carried
1t a good many miles away, and after
eight days Ii was once more in front of the
hive, busily catching bees. He then gave
up driving 1t away, and was the more
willing to do so since he had discovered
that it only ate the sick ones. For num-
Der of years he watched this toad, till
finally one day it was caught by a pole
cat.
ANTENNAL LANGUAGE OF ANTS.
OF course the intelligence of animals
not only differs in degrees, but varies ac-
cording to species; that of the toad is
without doubt incomparably below that
OF the ant, bee, horse, monkey. elephant
or dog.
Have you ever studied the antennal
language OF the meadow ants? How is il
that these small creatures can venture far
from the nest, distances that are rela-
lively enormous, and never hesitate
about the road TO take when they wish
To retrace their steps? Learned men who
have stuffed the matter attribute this
power TO the tormic acid evolved by the
insect as it travels, enabling it to find its
route in exactly the same way that fox
or dog does.
'One day." writes my learned friend,
). Levallols, 81 followed an ant for a long
tune; she was far from the ant hill, and
seemed to have no intention of soon re-
turning. In the middle of the path she
came upon the dead body OF a good-sized
snail; she first walked all around it, then
climbed upon the ugly creatures back,
crawled all over 1t, and after this thor
ough examination instead of advancing
as before, Immediately turned toward the
most. When half way there she met one
tOuched, or rubbed antenna with great
animation and she was pursuing her
course. The same performance took
place when she met a second and third of
her companions, and, as soon as she had
left them, they quickly turned toward the
spot where the snail lay. The first ant
soon entered the nest and lost sight of
her: but she doubtless continued her
work of informing and exciting the rest,
for long line of ants Immediately came
out and set forth for the prey. Ten min
uteS afterward the snail was entirely COW
cred with the yellow swarm, and by
evening not trace OF it remained.D
1t is no longer necessary to prove the
existence of an antennal language 1t
has been one of the known facts OF science
for the last half century; what is interest
ing and important to the philosopher is
to determine the extent of this language
to discover Its limits anu the inferences
to which it gives rise. Does it consist
simply in the friction of the antenna?
One would naturally think so; vet a pro-
fessor of natural history in Rhetian Prus-
sia recently stated that ants are provided
with a sounding apparatus resembling
that OF the wasp, by means of which
feeble sounds, such as are suited to the
ears of ants, are produced; but this re-
mains to be proved.
AFFECTION OF PARROTS.
Two parrots had lived together for four
years when the female grew languid. her
legs began to swell and she had all the
symptoms OF gout. 1t became impossi-
BILE tor her to take her food in the usual
way, and the male brought it TO her in his
beak. He fed her in this way four
months. By that time her intirmities had
so increased that, no longer able TO stand
on her feet and trying in vain to raise
herself to the perch, she remained
crouched at the bottom of the cage The
oil nj hOWarinn iaI ,.-ifl Ill
his strength to assist her. He would
seize the invalid by the beak or the upper
part OF the wing and try to lit her. and
his expression and all his actions proved
how eager he was to relieve her weakness
and suffering. 1t became more interest
ing to watch them when she reached the
point of death; then her companions
tender care was doubled. He tried to
open her beak 10 put in food, watched
over her, running to her and then turn
ing away with an agitated air; with his
eyes fixed on the dying bird he preserved
q sorrowful silence, broken from time TO
time by plaintive cries. AT last his COM
panion gave her last gasp, and from that
moment he languished and died few
weeks after.
No one can question the fact that all his
actions were prompted by feeling, attach
ment, affection.
THE ABBoT's PARROT.
Here is another series of observations
of the same creature written by the y b.
bot. NJ. Henri Gras, in lie Cosmos:
0Eor four wears | have had gray parrot
from Gabon, which is worthy the atten-
tion of learned men on account of its
memory. its perfect articulation, and the
a,tness of its speech. l have never yet
met anyone who has seen a parrot to be
compared with it in these three respects.
II do not pretend to settle the great
ln Of int