The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-10-24
ANIMALS AS SWIMMERS.
cAMELs. MONKEYS AND clRAFFeS
NOT UP IN NATATION.

well on Their First immersion In the
Water-Rodents tho Most Interesting
Family of Swimmers.
1t has often been said that among all
the bipeds and quadrupeds man alone
Is unable to swim naturally but this,
like many other sweeping statements,
Is not usually true. Many men have
been known to swim on their first en-
try into deep water, while. on the other
hand, there are several mammals
whose natatory power is even inferior
to that of man. Take. for instance,
camels, monkeys, giraffes and llamas.
Camels II is true, may be taught to
swim with artificial aids. and now and
then apes manage to scramble over
narrow sheets OF water without being
drowned but II may be confidently as
serted that neither giraffes nor llamas
can ever accomplish the art.
The vast majority swim well on their
first immersion in the water; and.
whether as n means of passage or to
escape danger, most Of them take tothe
element with the utmost confidence,
'NNh iISl dlltluDl.
Strange to say certain members of
the seal family which eventually take
their place among the best swimmers
in creation are, mt the ouset of their ca
reer, the most helpless.
Sen lions, although they do not spend
so long time In the water rs the true
seals, move even more gracefully and
rapidly when in search of food. The
latter are so much nj home In the water
that they will sometimes go fast asleep
among the waves, and will even lie for
half an hour or r.ore at the bottom of
the water without betraying any sign
of uneasincss.
The rodents are perhaps the most In
teresting family of swimmers. All the
good swimmers among the rodents are
also expert divers, and are able. more
over, to raise or depress the body in the
wnter at will When swimming Mt
ease and unsuspicious OF danger. the
water line passes across the mouth, the
middle OF the cheek. and the shoulder.
disclosing on the surface rather more
than Onc-thirG of the whole body; and
though the root Of the tail Is seen. the
tail itself is generally under the water
excepting when the animal Is quite
stationary.
The paws of hares and rabbits In
swimming are like an ill-ballasted ship,
down by the head. Like the squirrels,
these two animals show great timidity
In the water, and naturally so, for
their heads are so low ana sterns 80
high that the slightest ripple on the sur
face would send their noses under
water and so drown them unless they
at once retyyned to land. In perfectly
still water, However. they can both
swim considerable distances.
"a friend Of mine, who is constant
fisherman" says Mr.. Mlllais, told me
that lie has three times seen hares try
TO swim the Tweed and each time, af-
ter going half way, the timid creatures
had TO return, doubtless owing to water
getting into their nostrlls. AS far as
l have been able to ascertain rabbits
and hares are the only animals that eX
pose the whole of the hind leg, except
the foot above the water when taking
q stroke; the effect of this Is very Gu
rious giving them the appearance of
slow, stern-wheel paddle steamer.
When once fairly started the legs are
moved slowly, although the animals
proceed at fair rate of speed"
Roe, although good swimmers, move
so slowly in water that dog can out
strip them. AS to the hippopotamus,
all visitors to the 400" are familiar
with his aquatic powers, hut It is not
so generally known that the elephant,
too, Is splendid swimmer, and will
often remain in the water 80 hours at
stretch. swimming all the time.
Major-General Keatinge, V. c., some
time resident at Mandalesswhur, on the
Nerbuddha, told Mr.. Millals that dur
Ing the rainy season wild elephants oc-
caslonally came swimming down the
river past his house, the nearest jun
gle from which they could have come
being 200 miles up stream. On these
occasions the natives, though provided
with huge flat-bottomed punts, and
well knowing the value Of the animals.
could not be persuaded to go near
them, fearing to be seized.
AS general rule they swim very
deep in the water, only the top of the
head and the trunk being visible; but
occasionally-perhaps for their own
satisfaction, or at the instigntion of
the mahout-they will swim high, even
when they have burden on their
| backs.
or pigs 1t is commonly reported that
so queerly fashioned are they that If
they attempt to swim they cut their
| throats with their forefeet but this Is
only an old wife's fable. Whether wild
or tame, they are all good swimmers,
though, owing to the shortness Of their
legs, they just touch their throats with
their forefeet and beat the water very
high. Many Of he islands Of the SOUTH
ern seas are now inhabited by wild