The record-union., 1898-02-23
Accidents to Animals.

Among wild quadrupedS only the
| ruminants with large horns and long
| limbs seem commonly liable to acci-
dents. Cases of stays dying with in
| terlociled antlers are recorded from
| time to time, and Buckland gives ali
account of a curious accident which
befell big stag in Windsor forest. The
poor beast had been standing on its
hind legs to nibble leaves from a thorn
tree, and caught it's hoof in a fork IN
| the trunk. This threw it on it's back
and broke the bone. Though red deer
are in this country mainly found wild
on mountainous ground, we much doubt
| if they are really a mountain species
or specially clever on rocky ground.
]. c. Millais mentions one pass where
| the bones of deer that have missed their
! footing and fallen down the crags may
| frequently be seen. Broken limbs are
very common, even among park stags,
generally due to fights in the rutting
time. This must usually lead to the
death of deer in all districts where large
carnivora are found; but the astonish-
ing way in which broken bones, or even
worse injuries received by wild animals,
cure themselves if the creature is let
alone, shows that the most serious ac-
cidents need not lead to death, even II
left to nature. The most striking OF re
cent instances is the case Of a doe an
telope at Leonardslee, which smashed
its hind leg high up, and so badly that
the bone protruded. II would have been
shot, but it was observed TO be feed
ing, as if not in pain. 1t survived the
winter and was seen to swing the IN
iured leg forward to scratch its ear
before the bone set. The fracture re-
duced itself, and the cut skin grew over
the place, leaving scar. Later, though
lame, it was perfectly well, and reared
a young one.
A .iger recently killed in the hot
weather had a bullet wound week old
which had smashed it's shoulder. This
wound, though a very bad one, was
perfectly healthy, and there was evil
aence that since it was inflicted the
tiger had eaten no flesh, but only drank
water. In the Waterloo cup coursing IN
1856 Miss Glendyne" and "the run
nerup" for the cup We're slipped at 4
hare which went wild and strong. When
killed after a good course by the two
crack greyhounds, it was found to have
only three feet This may be COM
pared with the accounts of a collie dog,
recently Quoted in the papers, which
had one fore foot and one hind foot cut
off by a reaping machine, but which
still manages TO help with the 1iock
Dogs, which ought to be little liable
to accidents. are very frequent suf-
ferers. largely from their association
with man and intense desire to particl-
pate in all his doings. One of their
commonest mishaps arises from their
love Of riding in carts. They become
quite clever at scrambling or Jumping
in. but are not built for jumping
down on to a hard road. II the cart
moves as they make their spring the
danger is increased, and forelegs broken
usually just below the shoulder are
very commonly seen.
Dogs also have dangerous falls when
on the ground, accidents usually as
cribed only to. bipeds and horses A
greyhound going at full speed win trip,
fy head over heels and break leg
or even its neck. Master Magrata
in 1870 went through the rotten ice or
the River Alt, from which Altcar TAX IS
its name while following the hare, ana
nearly died from the effects But the
strangest mishap which the writer has
ever seen fall to the lot of dog was
the case of a setter which "tripped'
over a sitting hare. The dog, large,
heavy animal, was ranging at hSh
speed in field of thinly planted man
gold AS it passed between the rows It's
hind feet struck something. and 1t
nearly turned a somersault. The object
was a squatting hare, which, as the
dog flew over in one direction, quietly
scI1ttlad off in the other.-LOndOn Spec
tator.