New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-10

Few mature people outgrow the eager interest |
OF childhood in wild animals. geological gar
6ens and menageries have fascination for old
as well as young. If the list of creatures which
are here treated in a series Of detached papers
does not include all of the popular favorites the
loss is more than made good Some of the speci-
mems about which Mr.. Lydekker talks are never
seen in travelling or permanent collections be-
cause Of their present rarity, because they live
fl the sea, or else because they belong to a by
gone age Again this book has been made up so
as TO include the most remarkable representa-
tiNes Of certain types, The biggest tortoises and
seals the smallest Wild cattle whales that wear,
or once wore, annor; fishes that had grinding
teeth. fourhorned sheep and other such wonders
Finally. though the reader encounters no tech
uicalities which are not perfectly intesible. he
Is being instru ted by = man who is far more
familiar with the ancestry and peculiarities OF
his exhibits than was ever any other Snowman
Mr. Lydekker, II is hardly necessary to say, has
been writing popular books on natural history
FOR thirty years
Few phases Of animal life have excited more
discussion among biologists than coloTation. In
a general way, this is believed TO serve more or
less useful purpose, although there are many
discrepancies yet TO be cleared up. To the spots
on the giraffe and deer attributed a pro-
tective value. since they suggest the dappLng |
effect Of leaf shadows in forest The stripes |
a zebra said 10 have the effect OF render |
ing that animal invisible at a comparatively |
short distance Similar markings on the tiger, |
while seemingly unnecessary for the safety OF
50 ferocious a creature. nevertheless resemble |
the blades Of coarse grass in jungle, and d. |
uinish its chance Of detection. Mr.. Lydekker /
says however, that much is yet to be learned |
on this subject and sportsmen everywhere who
see rare living animals amid their normal sur
10
naturalist who studies such creatures in mu- |
scum or examines the skin 10y itself can tell
anything about the contrast or lack of contrast
between fur and the background afforded by a |
natural environment.
To account for the autumnal and winter |
changes Of coat which many deer experience, |
The theory OF protection is advanced. the disap-
Tearance Of foliage rendering uniform gray a
greater safeguard than red spotted with white. |
Concerning the change of hue in certain Arctic |
animals, notably the fox there has been some |
sQute. The opinion has been advanced that |
the summer coat remains and that the individ |
ua hairs composing it turn from brown TO white. |
Nr Lydekler is convinced, on the other hand, |
II an entirely new growth takes the place Of
H. old Neither in man nor in the lower ami |
mails does hair normally alter its hue. Gray
hair is a mixture OF ali black brown and all
White flaments, but there is no record Of sin
gle hair being partly of tint and partly Of
another.
The domestication OF animals that were once
uutamed and unserTiceable to man forms n
other interesting chapter Of history. Horses
were known in Persia and Chadea before they
were pictured in Egypt There seems TO be lit
tie reason TO doubt that all the breeds of the
present day were derived from wild stock in
Central Asia. Dogs have multiple origin, ap-
parently, the wolf and jackal contributing large
ly to the ancestry OF modern species Inasmuch
as it seems TO be impossible to cross dogs and
foxes to-day il is doubtful il the latter animals
bear any close relation to the former. The do
nestle cat, too, probably has a composite an
ces;ry. Several species of wildcat are known.
but there is a popularity about the modern
talhy that closely allies her to the early Egyp-
tan branch Of the family. In both, IL is
serted, the black color Of the pads Of the toes
extends over a wider area than the foot OF any
other cat.
How many more animals can be brought into
familiar relations with man is point not read
Ly determined. The elephant is quickly reduced
10 q state of seryitude, but unless captured in
Infancy can hardly be truly tanned AS it does
not, like the camel, breed in captivity, the pros
pet Of domesticating il is far from good Per
haTs more might be accomplished with the zebra
and hybrids OF the latter, but Mr.. Lydekker has
doubts about the undertaking proving profitable
Something has been done toward making the
Ia, al in rl,S in