New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-19
CURIOUS ANIMALS ANNEXED.
THE FAUNA OF THE PHILIPPINES. CUBA
AND HAWAII
From The Washington Star.

queer creature lately discovered to be the
great grandfather OF mankind will become a
United States subject with the ratincation Oh
the Peace Treaty.
Tncle Sam is to exhibit expansion Of his
lower animal kingdom in the National Zoology
cal Park here Dr. Frank Baker. superintendent
of the park has just departed upon a tour OF
collection. The Government naturalists are now
giving their attention TO the strange 1auha y,
the islands soon to become or aTeauy cIa .s.
as our new possessions. Little scientific atten-
tion has been given to these species ntnerto:
They are practically unknown save 10 severn
travellers whose reports have been lalely op-
taincd. ,,., . 4.
The Governments savans are delighted at
the prospect Of pokng straws into the cage OF a
real live "tarsier." 1t may be you nave no iuea
who Scnor Tarsier is. Professor Hubrecht vi
the University Of Utrecht. has lately discovered
that he is no less a parsonage than link con-
Meeting Grandfather Monkey with ms ahcestors ;;
Thus the evolutionary scale would De cnahseu
by Professor HubreCht to run-inah' ape; MN
key tarsier. and on. tarsier appearing aS
what may be popularity termed the great-grahu-
father Of mankind.
Tarsier NAV best be described az having a
face like an owl and body limbs and tan IKE
those of a monkey. His sitting height Is ABOUT
that of the squirrel As his enormous optics
would lead one to suppose he cuts capers III ,hs
night and sleeps in the daytime collcen ,o,,,
usually in abandoned clearngs. where new
growth has sprung up to height or twenty ieet
or more. Very often he sleeps IN stanuins
posture, graspng the lower stem OF small tree
with MS long ana SltnucT nISSiS anu sN''' 49,
ing his nightly wanderings he utters a squeak
like that Of 4 monkey. During the day the pu-
pills Of his eyes contract 10 me mes Out ii'ci
dark expand until they fill most Of the rises
From his habit OF feeding only upon lnseclS he
has strong batlike odor.
QUEER LITTLE BEASTS.
John Whitehead. who has spent the last three
wears STUDYING the animals of the Philippines,
foreshadO the probable behavior OF tarsler
when il arrives at the National ZOO. Inc
Philippine natives call the httle creature
"maeou" In Samar," says Mr.. Whitehead, IN
a renort lust received at the Smithsonian,
where at different times l kept several magous
alive. | found them very docile and easily man
aged during the day. They fed freely OH grass
hnppers. sitting on their launches on my manu-
when offered an insect the magou would stare
for a short time with its most wondertui eyes
then slowly bend forward and win a suuuel,
dash would seize the insect with both hanuS anu
instantly carry ii TO its mouth shutting us {! co
and screwing up its tiny face in a most whim-
steal fashion. The grasshopper was then qulck-
ly passed through the sharp little teeth, the
kicking legs being held with both hands When
the insect was beyond further mischief the large
eyes of the magOu would open and the legs and
wings were then bitten off, while the rest OF inc
body was thoroughly masticated MY captiVes
would also drink fresh milk from n spoon. After
the sun had set this little animal became most
difficult to manage escaping when possible ano
making tremendous jumps from CHAIR 10 chdlr'
When the floor 1t bounded about Ike MN
iature kangaroo. travelling about the room on lts
hind legs with the tail stretched out ana curved
inward uttering peculiar shrill. monkey
sGueaks and biting quite viciously when the OPP
Dortunitv offered" This remarkable mammal Is
found in the islands Of Samar and Leite, prop
ably i'm Mindanao and perhaps in Bohol ~
Common throughout the Philippines IS stlll
nearer relative Of man. a long tailed green
monkey which the natives call the "chonso
ChCngO does not behave himself as well as does
Mag0u. In Northern Luz0n he infests the Tor
ests in the neighborhc0d OF native plantations
especially those Of maize and sweet potatoes
and is the cause Of unlimited Tagalo prolanlty.
In Samar the rice fields have to be carefully
silardcd against his attacks He is to be seen
anywhere from the cold mountain tops 10 the
scacoast Some pure white monkeys are also
found in MindaraO.
DROLL DWARFS
Another freak beast which will excite curl