The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-01-03
Odd Things in Mexico.

There are plenty of queer animals in
Mexico, and p. l.. Jouy of the Smithson-
ian institution told the following of them:
picked up some of them on n trip through
that country, from which | have just re-
turned. For example, there is the "caco-
mixtle," n very odd creature indeed which
lives commonly in the roofs of houses 1t
is as big as cat, long and slender, and in
color yellowsh brown. A species of civet
cat it is, but not true cat, you under
stand. 1t is beast intermediate in struc-
ture between the cat and the weasel. In
respect to its habits also, it mbles both
weasel and cat.
The roofs of the houses in that part of the
country are usually covered with tiles. The
cacomixtle takes up it's residence between
the tiles and he rafters of u dwelling, de-
pending for its supplies of food on its skill
in foragng. Not few, but great numbers,
of these creatures live in this fashion. They
are strictly nocturnal, though occasionally
one is seen in the daytime. Not infrequent-
ly one sees half dozen of them playing to-
gether on roof at night. They are very
skillful at catching chickens and their
predatory ways cause them to be regarded
by householders as enemies rather than as
pets.
Why do not the people kill them2 They
do OCCASIONALLY but the animals have such
good hiding places in the roofs that they
are difficult to get at They only come out
at night and are very wary. But the chief
reason why they are tolerated is that the
natives are too lazy to take the trouble to
catch them, preferring to put up with the
loss of their chickens, etc | captured one
by using fowl for bait and surrounding
it on all sides with steel traps In the
morning several of the traps were sprung,
but save in single instance only scraps of
fur remained to tell the tale, the beasts
having made their escape When taken
young, they are quickly tanned, but their
bodies emit powerful and disagreeable
effluvium when they are excited, so that
| one has desire to be elsewhere. On that
account they are not desirable pets.
had an odd adventure near Guadala-
jara. That city is situated on high pla-
teau and owing to it's elevation has de-
lightfully cool climate. Though actually
in the tropics, it is to all intents and pur-
poses in the temperate zone. But within a
| short distance of the town one may descend
| into a region 1900 feet below, where the
vegetation is wholly tropical in character
and where coffee, pineapples and mangoes
are raised. Naturally the fauna of this
| lower level is as different from that of the
, heights as is the fora, and there found
| an attractive hunting ground for birds and
| small mammals. One morning, having
spent the night at the bottom of barran-
| ca, or canyon, | was somewhat alarmed TO
find my horse bleeding profusely from what
/ at first took to be a stab wound, inflicted
by knife. On examination and inquiry it
appeared that the animal had been bitten
by vampire bat" Such bats, the ma
tives informed me, are quite plentiful in
that neighborhood. Sometimes they inflict
serious injuries.
This species of bat is we'll known. 1t is
not very large, having a wing spread of
only 10 or II inches. But it is rendered
formidable by rather extraordinary den
tai equipment. Instead of the usual four
incisors it has only two, but they are very
long and as sharp as razors. They are
shaped exactly like sabers. They are set
in the upper jaw and fit into sockets in the
! lower jaw Better instruments for cutting
could hardly be imagined The animal is
nocturnal in its habits, like other bats Its
head bears curious likeness to that of a
bulldog, and dare say that it has DISPOSE
tiCu to match. The natives say that it will
atuack human beings who venture to sleep in
that branches of pine hung over the open
door, and windows of dwellings and barns
will keep the vampires from entering, but
seriously doubt if there is any ground fol
such belief.
brought back with me a teton" 1t is
now as big as good sized terrier, but il
was quite young when got it-only few
inches long, in fact-so that it has been per
fectly tanned. Until recently it was per
mitted to run about the house, but now il
has to be kept chained up because it is sc
inquisitive and mischievous 1t shares
those traits with the raccoon, to which il
is nearly related. In it's wild state the tie
jon lives in troops of Is or 20 individuals
They go about investigating rotten trees
and stumps for insects. They rob birds
nests of their eggs, steal fruit and destroy
corn when it is in the milk. Consequently
the natives regard them as pests. They ar,
found in the terra caliente, or hot region
along the coast
found some very peculiar crabs at Lake
Chapala. That is the biggest lake of Mexi
Goa beautiful sheet of water 80 miles il
length. The crabs are quite small, but they
exist there in such vast numbers as to con
tribute an important item to the fare of the
natives. Their color is that of the garnet, a,
nearly as | can describe it. | caught 80 Of
them in an afternoon, picking them VI
from beneath stones along the waters edge
OF course they are fresh water crabs. Prob
ably you are aware that there are no fresh
water crabs in the United States. Curious
ly enough, l discovered that the species wal
new to science, though Lake Chapala has
been visited by ever so many travellers.
procured several specimens of the "clar
in," which all through Mexico is the most
highly priced of cage birds. The origina
stock is said to have come from the state OF
Vera Cruz. Its song is the very essence Of
the deep, shady woods and falling water
Poured forth suddenly, it h as a surprising
tinkling, metallic quality. In fact, its mu
sic is more remarkable than that Of any
other bird know Of Washington Star.
| Narunnn DraoiI.nIian