The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-11-12
ANIMALS GOOD SWIMMERS
Even Some Of the Most Ungainly Are
Strong and Graceful in
the Water.

| An spite of the fact that man is nut
an instructive swimmer. as are most OF
| the lower animals, ne excels all of the
latter that are not aquatic in endur-
aace II the water. It is reported that
IN attempting to swim across the Eng
! lasn channel recently, man covered
~ miles before he succumbed to ex-
| haustlon. The only land animals tina.
are known to be able to approximate
such feat are bears, writes J. 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 it 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 bysanimals which can swim well
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. It
may be useful to know that, In cross
ing q body of water with horse, the
best method, if the horse is expected
to swim any considerable distance, is
to slide over his back, hold the animal
lightly by the tai. and allow it to tow
you across. This relieves the horse
Of the weight OF your body. end 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, mastif and st. Bernard excel all
others. A retriever known to the
writer once followed a 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 iaguar.
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 sinlzing 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.
aud. though they do not sink, they
drown quickly. Even many soeeies IF
waterfowl rise from the water witt,
difficulty, Or not at all. when their
wings are wet. After sea gull
pIunges and returns to the surface II
stretches it's wings SO that they NAV
be dried bv the wind and sun before Il
attemrts to fly.
All rentiles swim Almost all snafyes
move through the water with 50 mueh
ease and rapidity as on land. Rattle
snakes, for example. are much given
to swimming in placid water If 1t IL
not TOO cola. II the 6sVeTStaAe lakes
If Florida they may be often seen. Il
Is well to know that to attack from
boat a poisonous snake in the water Is
much more dangerous proceedine
than to attack the snaIre on land The
reason is that the FERTILE VIII immed'-
ate1v. make for the boa. since II nusf
have d solid base from which to strife
Tt half leaps and half a'mbs into the
craft. and there is a fight at unconn-
forfab1y close quarters.