The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-13

DO They Hide ms the Feel Death Ap-
prOaching.

From the Literary Digest.
| There Is popular belief that wild ami
mails go into retirement as they feel death
approaching. This belief is examined by
DR.. Paul Balliou in an investigation re-
garding the death OF animals, part of
which has already been referred to in
these columns. His results are detailed
by M. Henri Coupin, in an article in La
Nature (Parls), from which It appears
that, although there is some foundation
for the popular opinion, che facts on
which this opinion Is based must be large
" explained in another way. Says M
Coupln:
ut Is a fact that In the country dead
bodies of animals are almost never found,
whether they are mammals, birds, reptiles
or insects. And this fact is the more
striking when we remember the extreme
ly great number of living animals on the
earth's surface. The phenomenon may be
explained In two ways either the bodies
disappear very rapidly or animals are
accustomed, at the moment Of death, to
take refuge In holes and so to escape
from sight The question has not been
settled, but certain known facts, which
we shall proceed to describe, will put
those who wish to clear up the matter In
the way of 80 doing.
'It is q habit with dogs and cats, at
the moment of death, to go into some
corner, and often into a place far remov-
ed from their usual home. Doubtless this
Is what they did also In the savage state.
las for rabbits, they seem to do exactly
the opposite, leaving their burrows to die,
not put out by their companions as some
have said, but Of their own free will. Field
mice do the same; but 1t Is not general
habit among rodents. Mice in partlcul n
often seem to leave their holes to die; but
1t is only to seek other shelters, such as
hollow roof-tiles.
THE chamois, when 1t has received
serious wound, so we are told by Tschudi.
leaves the herd and goes into a deserted
place, where It lies down among the rock
and ticks It's wounds. There 1t either re,
covers or perishes.
elephants retire TO distant riaSes
when about to die. Llamas .
have special death places which become in
time vast heaps of bones. 1t has been
noted says M. Houzeau, chat these an
imals, both domesticated and wild, select
a special place where all retire to die.
There are found ON river banks great
spaces all whitened with their bones Per-
haps we may explain in like manner the
abundance Of fossil bones OF bears, hy-
enas. etc. that are found in caves.
BIRDS about to die fee from the light
of day and seek the gloomiest retreats.
At least so states NJ. Balliou, and he
thus explains why we never find the dead
bodies OF birds in the paths and roads
OF public parks. That dead birds are
never 80 found is affirmed by the sweep
ers in the Luxembourg gardens and the
botanical gardens"
According to what precedes, says M.
Balliou, II may be supposed that most
wild animals, at the approach of death,
hide themselves, ana thus remove their
remains from the public view. 1t is cer-
tainly so I'm many cases. But II should be
added that In most instances the corpses
disappear because they become the prey
Of creatures that live on the dead. We
may get an idea of the rapidity with
which this disappearance takes place by
noticing, for instance, what becomes OF
sheen. and goats when they die on the
Landes Hardly has the buzzng Of the
carrion flies given warning, when dogs.
crows, etc, appear TO feast on the viscera
and soft parts. At nightfall come wild
beasts for their share. Finally, a multi
tude OF insects complete the work OF de-
struction. In a few days naught re-
mains but a few bones and hocks of
wool. At the same time, adds the author
from whom we quote, I had never sup
posed that this could be the case with
the remains OF elephants. whose huge
bones, one would think, would not easily
disappear. It has been remarked that the
skeletons OF deceased elephants are al
most never found. Is their rarity 10 be
explained by the fact that this animal
rctires TO Inaccessible places to die az
We have suggested above? n we are
TO believe Mr. a. q. Cameron, We see
here the action OF ruminants. These an
lm8ls have pronounced taste for bones
which they wear away little by liifle
uIIH IN q lnM NnHI. lnnN NAV ll.no..