The Opelousas courier., 1902-05-10
TIE DREAD M0NGoosE.
SOURCE OF FEAR TO ALL soers
OF SMALL ANIMAL

oF FEAR TO ALL SORTS
" SMALL ANIMALS.
a'teo with Great Activity and Much
Indulgence They are More Than =
Mateh For Reptiles Superior to
themselves in Size
since the publication, a few DAYS
80 OF an article relative to the on,
ement OF the Lacey law, in which
> forbidden the importation of certain
mammals, among which is the dreadad
hongoose, Inquiries have baap sat
esaruing It. With the view to salts.
yaAs the unenlightened on the subject
! might be stated that the crafty and
outrageous mongoose is evidently hest
as to it's great destr,ictihil-
~ IN It's lnapertation to the island of
JAMAICA one Of the group of the West
nuies. 1t was introduced to this
Ioplcaf island decades ago, and for
ne express purpose Of decimating tbo
,epomous snakes with which tho n,aca
vas oVerrun. So prevalent were fbe1
Il every nook and corner of the island
nat no one dared venture forth after
iarK unless provided with a lantern
ana a long pole with which to xiii oT
.oss them out of the way. Notwith.
standing this caution, that dreaded
snake the fur de lance, which species
mere largely dominated, frequently
got in its fatal work. It is related
mat a native, having to go a great
Instance after nightflli, declared. on
us return, that he must have encount-
sred and passed fully 500, and that he
would not again make the Journey for
l fortune.
Lafcadio Hearn, who years ago was
4 writer on this paper, in his published
work OF Three Years in the West In
hes, treats at some length on this
;errible and venomous reptile; stating
nat the inhabitants in MANY a hamlet
were kept within their houses when
night set in and the snakes then held
entire possession of the roads and
highways. It is no wonder that the
natives desired the absence of this en-
Venomed viper, and, not having a St.
Patrick, they sought the mongoose for
their patron saint, which they now la
nent.
AFTER the mongoose had been i'm
ported, in a very short time it largely
multiplied and spread over the entire
island, and it was but a few years be-
tore there was a perceptible decima-
ton OF the snake family. Another
period OF years ensuing and the ser
pentine crawlers had entirely disap-
peared, much to the delight of the
blackamoor, big and little, and then
the lantern and long pole were laid
aside as useless. The
having Jared SO sumptuously on snake
diet, looked around for a substitute.
which it found on the domestic fowls
and birds eggs and other tit-bits, and
when these were not conveniently at
hand the cultivated garden found them
roasting on the very best they pro-
duced. At this unlocked for develop
ment the Government was quite will
ing to swap off the mongoose for the
snake, and, in addition, give a big
round bonus. No wonder our Govern
ment excludes this rapacious animal,
which would prove far more destruc-
tive than the San Jose or Texas scale,
or the Scotch thistle in Canada.
The majority of the species are
African, but several are in India, and
one form extends into southern Spain.
The best known species are the COM
ichneumon, or Pharaoh's rat, and
herpestes griseus the mongoose of In
dfa. The latter is as highly valued in
India as its congener is in Egypt, and
Is often kept tame about the house for
the service it renders in destroying
snakes and other animated plaques.
It is especially famed for it's prowess
In the destruction of the deadly cobra,
feat performed by force Of its gu
perior. baldness and activity. is
smaller than the Egyptian species, the
head and body of which are twenty-one
in length, with tail eighteen
and is gray, darker upon the
head and legs, and blackish upon the
feet. The hairs are largely white
In habits all the ichneumors, which,
of course, include the mongoose, are
very similar, quick and %serpentine in
movements, they insinuate themselves,
VeaselIike, under crevices which seem
100 small for their bodies, and pur
sue their reptile prey into their most
secret hiding places. Inquisitive as is
he cat they examine every new object
Ind peer into every unexplored nook
Ind corner. Gifted with great activ-
ty and much intelligence, they are
than a match for reptiles SUI
,erior to themselves in size; but they
ire of independent, restless temper,
ond of freedom, and not very reliable
IS pets. 1t devours eggs, snakes, rats,
lizards and other creatures not in fav-
II with humanity. Its usefulness In
his direction caused the ancient Egyp-
to domesticate and even to pay
{ honors.-Cincinnati Commercial
tribune.
Surgeons for Railroads.