The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-08
ANIMALS WE HAVE ANNEXED
The Strange Fauna Of Americas New
Islands.
Washington Star.

IEashin
a queer creature lately discovered
to be the great-grandfather of mankind
will become a United States subject
with the ratification Of the peace
treaty.
Uncle Sam is to exhibit expansion
Of his lower animal kingdom in the
National Geological park here. DR.,
Frank Baker, superintendent of the
park, has just departed upon tour OF
collection. The government natural
lists are now giving their attention to
the strange fauna Of the islands soon
to become or already are classed as
our new possessions. Little scien-
tifc attention has been given to these
species hitherto. They are practically
unknown save to several travellers
whose reports have been lately OBJ
tanned.
The governments savans are de-
lighted at the prospect of poking
straws into the cage Of real live
sstarsier.' y It may be you have 10
idea who Senor Tarsier is. Prof.
Hubrecht, Of the University Of Utrecht,
has lately discovered that he is no
less a parsonage than "link' con-
Meeting Grandfather Monkey with his
ancestors. Thus the evolutionary
scale would be changed by Prof. Hu-
brecht to run-man, ape, monkey,
tarsier, and SO on, tarsier appearing as
what may be popularity termed the
great-grandfather Of mankind.
Tarsier may best be described as
having q face like an owl and a body,
limbs and tail like those Of monkey.
His sitting height is about that Of the
squirrel. AS his enormous optics
would lead one to suppose, he cuts
capers in the night and sleeps in the
daytime, concealed usually in aban-
doned elearings, where new growth
has sprung up to the heighs of 20
feet or more. Very often he sleeps
in standing posture, grasping the
lower stem of small tree with his
long and slender fingers and toes.
During his nightly wanderings he ut
ters squeak like that Of monkey.
During the day the pupils Of his eyes
contract to fine lines, but after dark
expand until they fill most Of the
irises. From his habit Of feeding
only upon insects he has strong bat
like odor.
oUERR LITTLE BEASTS.
John Whitehead, who has spent the
last three years studying the animals
Of the Philippines, foreshadows the
probable behavior Of tarsier when it
arrives at the national 600. . The
Philippine natives call the little crea-
rure smagou.' In Samar,' : says
Mr.. Whitehead, in report just re-
ceived at the Smithsonian, s'where at
different times / kept several magous
alive, found them very docile and
easily managed during the day. They
fed freely of grasshoppers, sitting on
their launches on my hand. When
offered, an insect the magou would
stare for a.short time with its most
wonderful eyes, then slowly bend for
ward and with sudden dash would
seize the insect with both hands
aud carry it to its mouth, shutting its
eyes and screwing up its tiny face in
most whimsical fashion The grass
hopper was then quickly passed through
the sharp little teeth, the kicking legs
being held with both hands. When
the insect was beyond further mis-
chief the large eyes Of the magou
would open and the legs and wings
we're then bitten Of. while the rest Of
the body was thoroughly masticated.
nv captiyes would also drink fresh
milk from spoon. After the sun
had set this little animal became most
difficult to manage, escaping when
possible and making tremendous jumps
from chair to chair. When on the
floor it bounded about like miniature
kangaroo, travelling about the room on
its hind. legs with the tail stretched
out and curved upward, uttering pc
culiar shrill, monkey-like squeaks and
bising g.quite viciously when the oppor-
tunity offered This remarkable
animal is found in the islands ct
Samar. and Leite, probably in Mindanao
and perhaps in Bohol.
Common throughout the Philip
pines is still nearer relative Of man,
a long. tailed green monkey, which the
natives call the "chongo.'' Chongo
does not behave himself as we'll as
does Magou. In northern Luzon he