Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-10-20
ANIMALS GOOD SWIMMERS.
Even Some Of the Most Ungainly Are
Strong and Graceful in
the Water.

Al spite VI Tue lat tudt ludu 10 uo'
an instructive swimmer, as are most Of
the lower animals, he excels all Of the
latter that are not aquatic in endur-
ance In the water. 1t is reported that,
in attempting to swim across the Eng
fish channel recently, a man covered
30 miles before he succumbed to ex-
haustion. The only land animals that
are known to be able to approximate
such feat are bears, writes ]. Herbert
WEIGH. in Success. which are probably
the strongest swimmers among ami
mails not specially adapted by nature
for the water.
Deer and horses rank next to bears
In swimming powers. Deer swim rap
idly and gracefully, and 1t is not I'M
common for them to cover distance
Of ten or even Is miles in the water.
Horses are powerful swimmers, and
have none of the aversion toward en-
tering the water which is often shown
even by animals which can swim we'll
when forced to. A number of horses
that were pastured on the American
side Of the Niagara river once swan In
company across this broad stream In
order to return to their old stables. 1t
may be useful to know that, In cross
ing q body of water with a horse, the
best method. II the horse Is expected
to swim any considerable distance, Is
to slide over his back. hold the animal
lightly by the tai. and allow 1t to tow
you across. This relieves the horse
Of the weight of your body. and ena-
bles him to swim faster and much
farther than otherwise would be the
case.
Dogs vary greatly in ability as
swimmers. The water spaniel, retriev-
er, mastiff and st. Bernard excel all
others. A retriever known to the
writer once followed canoe for nine
miles. The dog was much exhausted.
however. when drawn into the boat.
The elephant is a good swimmer,
and the wild animals Of the cat fam
lily, the tiger. the panther, the jaguar.
and others do not hesitate to cross
lakes and rivers. On the other hand,
the domestic cat shrinks from INNER
sion. and browns quickly. The nostrils
of some small animals are SO placed as
to render breathing very difficult when
they are in the water. Among these
are mice and rabbits, which Will
drown without sinking beneath the
surface. Rats are excellent swimmers.
Almost all birds except those which
are distinctly natatorial are nearly
helpless in water. Small birds. in par
ticular, have no power Of propulsion,
and. though they do not sink. they
drown quickly. Even many species OF
waterfowl rise from the water with
difficulty, or not at all, when their
wings are wet. After a sea gull
plunges and returns to the surface IT
stretches its wings 80 that they may
be dried by the wind and sun before It
attempts to fly.
All reptiles swim. Almost all snakes
move through the water with as much
ease and rapidity as on land. Rattle
snakes, for example, are much given
to swimming in placid water II 1t Is
not too cold. In the Everglade lakes
Of Florida they may be often seen. 1t
is we'll to know that to attack from
boat a poisonous snake In the water Is
a much more dangerous proceeding
than to attack the snake on land. The
reason is that the reptile will immedi-
ately make for the boat. since 1t must
have a solid base from which to strike.
It half leaps and half climbs into the
craft. and there is q fight at uncom-
fortably close quarters.