The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-08
From the New York Sun.

and the 1utla or WOOD rat, snort
enumeration would cover the list aud
. leave little to be told. Alligators arc
plentiful, and the cayman or crocodile
is numerous, but as to the rabbit, rae
coon, opossum or fox. which afford so
much sport in the United States, these
and all others of a like kind are un-
known in Cuba.
The wild boar of Cuba answers in
size and ferociousness to the jaball of
northern Mexico and southern Texas.
They run in small packs or droves.
have an over abundance of courage and
weigh from 250 to $50 pounds. In the
latter respect they have the advantage
over their cousins of Texas and Mexico.
Their tusks are sharp and prominent
being several inches in length, and
when they encounter an adversary in
the brush, be he man or beast, there Is
sure to be fight to the finish. With
each drove of these creatures runs n
leader, who is called by the natives ell
solatorio. though why he should be
designated a hermit no one is able to
tell.
THE JUTIA.
The jutia pronounced hoo-te-ah) is
the only wild animal in Cuba that is
native to the country. 1t is found in
no other land, and is simply the over
grown rat of the states. 1t ranges in
length from twelve inches to two feet,
exclusive of the tail, is a nocturnal
feeder and can be tanned almost to the
degree of the domestic dog. The jutia
is very common throughout Cuba, in
habiting the mountains, forests AMI
lowlands and is a general article of
at In, I.N+l . a
The creature, however, has the repul-
siveness of the common rat and is
Stunned by all except the inland in
habitants, who prize it as one of their
choicest foods. To catch the junita,
simple box trap is arranged with double
doors and a baited spring. and the
foolish creature unhesitatingly walks
to his destruction without so much as
the thought of an investigation. The
younger members of the species are
easily captured in hollow trunks or rot
ten logs, and no dogs are necessary to
ferret them out, for upon the approach
of a stranger to their hiding places
they crawl forth TO satisfy their curios-
NY and are easily made prisoners After
once tasting captivity the animal never
seeks TO escape.
The Nipe saVannas on the northeast
ern coast of Santiago province, mag
nlhcent rolling prairies diversified with
every variety of grass indigenous to
the country, is now the only section
where deer may be found in consider
able numbers. Back in the interior.
among the swamps and heavy cover,
In the forests and mountain foothills.
and in unsettled and unfrequented
places, they are also encountered but
they have been almost exterminated
by the savage wild dogs, which, es-
Gaping from civilization, have become
as ferocious and as dangerous as the
timber wolves of our Western country
These dogs are of as many colors as
the domestic breeds and are low a d
cunning, their tails being quite as long
as their bodies. The woods also
abound in cats run wild, driven from
their former homes by the burning of
'"""ns and settlements. As these
crea, are now thrown on their own
resources for a living, they may de-
Velop into wild species similar to our
wild cats.
DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
The domestic animals let loose in the
Island from the earliest period Of its
occupation have found a place favor
able for their reproduction but while
increasing they have also undergone
notifications. Cuban horses of the An
ualuslan race have lost in stature and
breadth but they have gained in So
brlety endurance and vitality. Before
the insurrection of 1868 they were so
numerous throughout the is!a~d, and
especially in the central and western
regions, that nobody Travelled afoor
Today the number Of saddle animals
has greatly diminished in pronortion
to the inhabitants, and nowhere are
wild horses found, as tn formerly
Were in Romano Cay. in the Nipe sa-
Vannas and other isolated regions.
Asses are not numerous, Being kaft
mainly for breeding purposes. Over
worked mules are seen everywhere.
and as there are few railroads and no
o'her KINDS or roads to speak of these
hardy animals are used for transporta-
tloh> over the trails and across the
mountains. The camel Of the CanariCe
"hlch was introduced at one time, did
not succeed, owing to the nigues. a
species of insect which Wounded its
feet In certain parts Of the island
especially in the district of Baracoa
the OK is used as beast of burden ana
thriVed as well in Cuba as hogs and
cattle, the goat has lost its vitality.
while the sheep, being poorly cared for,
mas replaced it's fleece with a coat of
mar. The foregoing enumeration COW
ers about all Of the land animals at
present to be found in Cuba.
BIRD LIFE.
BIrd life is abundant, and, well pro-
tected by cover. There are over oOo
land, and over forty of the nigra tory
riasses that yearly visit it's shores.
ti@husoihest among the native flyers
the tocoioro' crimson and creamy
whlte' with blue bust and spotted neck.
and crown of tufted feathers. 1t is
no mean singer and its pretty notes
can be heard in forest or Jungle or
among the mountain gulches, where n
builds its nest. The arlara is a LONG
tailed member of the thrush family.
which inhabits thickets, and the sorzoI
sister of the tocoloro, having pretty
feathers but no voice.
The Iarest of all birds in Cuba is the
ara tricolor commonly known as the
cuban macaw. It's habitat is tho
swamps, AID the following general de-
scription viii illustrate it's beauty.
Forehead, red, becoming yellowish on
top and shading into bright yellow on
The neck, back feathers, cinnamon
edged with green, under parts scarlet
with dash Of orange on the throat.
secondary feathers bright blue on the
upper surface, pale brown underneath.
tail feathers cinnamon, tipped with
Dlue; legs brown and eyes yellow Seer