The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-14
Philippine Beasts and Birds.

the Smithsonian Institution, telling xltat
specimens of animals are waa-ed from
the Philippines, says me Manila cone
spondeut Of the Chicago Reco d. In the
first place a ''tamarau' is wanted. New
the tamarau'' is an exceedingly. Wary
and very wild animal of TIE buffalo az
der 1t is smaller than the carabao and
fiercer in 2 fight. IL lives in the lSlaad
OF Mindoro. and hides in the jungle end
swamps. just at present there are very
few persons gathering specimens tr3m
that particular island For that matter.
there are not many sDecimen-hUaters
anywhere in these parts.
Another animal wanted is the tarsier
monkey That little beast has rings
around his eyes that remind one OF spec
tacles. His tail is longer and his head is
larger than the average monkey. The In
sututi0n also asks that 1t be given sew
eTal species Of deer, the "babHl' or wild
hog, monkeys of two species, small
cat, two species OF the civat cat or ''mu-
sang. fruit-eating bats of different spe-
eies. several peculiar large rats, the CO.
lugo or flying lemur, and the very re-
markable and interesting tarsier or ma
gou In the bird line il speaks of the
hamingo. the parrot, eagles and horn
bills, eaekatoos and parakeets, pheasants
and pigeons, pelicans and cuckoos. There
are several more that viii be accepted,
but these are some OF the specimens es-
Decially wanted.
Coming back to the 'tarnarau," it viii
be extremely difficult for the Institu-
ton TO get a specimen that has not hrst
gone through the hands of the taxider-
mist. 1t is of a record that if the say
hge little animal is trapped it viii com
nit suicide rather than submit te eaptiv-
ity. This it will do either By beating
out its life against the prison bars or
by the slower process OF starving itself
to death. And there is little hope for the
young They, too, refuse TO take nour-
ishment, even when put in the tender
mercies Of tame buffalo COW, and die
in short time AS a consequence these
animals are represented by their hides
IN the museums and by tales of adyen-
ture of the hunters. They night each
other ike the deer of North America
but they oftener fight the larger buffalo
When they do they generally kill the
buffalo.
The buffalo or carabao is also wanted.
1t will be an easy matter to get that
animal. 1t can be kept alive, but Il will
need its bath of mud twice a dav. All
ounaloes are not tame however, and the
sport of hunting them is little less than
ahat of hunting elephants. A buffalo is
trained to stalk its fellows. Behind the
unweldly beasts slip along the hunters
armed with bolos. When at the rieht
distance the hunter slips from behind his
blind or decoy and delivers two blows
in the hips of his victim. If the blows are
well aimed the hunter has "hams-rlaG'
his victim If not he is killed before he
can get away The old buffalo, too, Is
fighter. and ne will lock his spreading
horns with "a L.
at the first sight. The young are not so
wise ana they are CAPTURED and tameI.
The native understands the nature Of the
brute, and he takes it in hand wnen il
resembles Jersey calf in size and c-lor
and awkwardness. 1t takes some SIX
years before the buffalo is s.rohg enough
to do the family blowing. but in that six
years he has learned that there is nom
ing but kindness for him: that he will
be fed and regularly be led to the wallow
He comes TO know each member Of the
family, and carries the children around
on his back with much pleasure. Even
at the age Of six he is not enduring He
will pull all that is put behind him or
break something That is his nature.
Sometimes he sprains leg, and then
he is Immediately killed and carved up
into steaks, of which he does not make
the best. Should all go well. however,
he is good for six years hard work and
six years more of lighter work and
then he is driven to the slaughter house.
The carabao is one of the slowest ami
mails that ever tried TO move. For this
reason the sanitary department of Ma
Mia has supplanted him with the brisker
bullock of the East
The cat of the Philippine is wanted by
the museum authorities. It will be easy.
10 procure, as there are plenty of cats TO
spare in every part of the archipelago.
These cats. the real thoroughbreds, have
a little hook at the end of their tails.
and cannot straighten hem out even
when they run up a tree out of the way
of dog. There are wildcats in the is
land, and they are about the only wild
animals the natives fear. Wonderful sto-
ries of jungle and hill are told in which
the wildcat plays the part of the ag-
gressor. They are Of the tiger nature.
living on the flesh of other animals and
getting it in the way nature has taught
them.
There are many birds, though few song
sters. 1t has been told how the martin
has been imported into this country and
royalty received by the Spanish govern
ment. They have increased and multi
piled. but they do not sing. A few
thrushes dl sing. but the MARBLE Of the
North American singster is missing from
the piping. The thrush is shy, too, and
ii IS a lucky man who sees one Among
the fowls OF the air. are the pelican
and the fiaminso. The latter fly across
the bay just at daylight, their bright plu-
mage lightened by the. Redeemed rays OF
the sun They stand in the shallow places
of the bay and their long necks and
crooked beaks are submerged a good part
Of the time in their search for food.
When 1t is broad day and The world IS
astir they disappear into the woods and
swamps
AZ for monkeys. there are whole FAINT
lies Of them on the island alone. IF there
IS any difficulty in A,tting the '-targier''
the deficiency could be made Up in guam
titles Of the solemn-faced members Of
the tribes that submit 10 capture and
civilization. Scarcely a volunteer regf-
nent has gone home without its monkey
mascot These vary from the smallest
size that could be hidden under the hat
to tire larger kind that want 20 CHI sc
children and eat bananas There are
rats. too-big. saucy fellows which tumble
and squeal about at night and can swim
Ike ducks from casco to casco.
Bats come under the head of mammals
ana are wanted. II She island II Mn
doro is a VARIETY covered with fur nd
big rs en- umbrella. Once in a while
these unCanny creatures get into civlIfz1-
ton i Is said that one Gnce flew iato
the diHinErOom Of a Manila hotel al din
ner time and nearly drove the guests in /.
70 a-sterics- There are bats that live
Ut fruit besides those of ATiudoro. which
grow very large There are also smaller /
bats here which 90 kiting about IN the
: r. - He