The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-11-19
AyIM,Ls' SIGNAL CT ALARM.


one OF the FIRST things noticeable
on approaching covey. flock or hero
OF Wild animals Is their alarm AZ thC
sisht or scent OF stranger say.
Harry d, Bradford in Recreation
Magazine.
Probably all grcgarious animals
have some way Of giving an alarm
% danger 10 those that maze up the
rest o. their herd,
Those anlmals which hunt sinrly
need no slch alarm All that con
| Germs them Is to sca that number one
IL safety oat OF danger
IN union there II strength and
also more liberty In daring, there
tore the animal that prowls about
alone Is usealy shy and crafty, and
! kcaNs VOL OFT of sight while those
witch move In companies may take
more freedom.
Some animals detail one or more
| sen'inels TO olt-guard their band or
Hoc'l while they are feeding or tray-
cling II Is understood with others
that those on the outskirts of the
herd viii act in such a capacity on
their own intuition, and the hunters
or explorers experience, in APP
preaching Wild creatures, acquaints
lin with the cunning manner in
which such signalling Is carried out
How rarely we ever come across a
rabbit sitting still In the woods! II
we could come upon small group
- ~ ~
the hop, we might hear their signal
of alarm II Ii a short. smart stamp
~ on the ground with their hind,
padded feet At this sound every
rabbit in the vicinity pricks up his
ears. while some sit upright and be-
come temporarily immovable, except
for slight trembling in an endea-
vor 10 remain perfectly quiet.
have often initiated their stamp
on the ground and seen forty or
more, domesticated rabbits even,
stop chewing the grass or leaves
which they had in their mouths
This signal is simply a warning,
and II they hear nothing unusual
they continue their feeding, but if an
enemy Is heard or scented there is a
general scamner for the thiclSet.
They rarely run far without stop
ping to listen again, and II they find |
tho enemy means business. they en-
deavor to show him that they are |
equal to the occasion.
There Is no discount on the hear |
ing of rabbits, but their sight. |
strange as 1t may seem, is very poor,
in the albinos. If you will /
watch rats and mice very closely I
you will find that they.
too, are in the same situation.
The woodehuck, however, which
belongs TO the same family (rodenD /
as that of the rabbit, has very acute
sight and hearing, as every farmers
boy knows who has tried to shoot
one.
The voodchucks note OF warn
ing is short whistle when tn
bur when alone he disap-
pears AZ speedily and noiselessly as
possible
Some of the larger animals also
lave interesting habits Of giving an
alarm to protect those in their COM
,anv. The prong-horned antelope of
he plains is very inquisitiye, and
las habit of yenturing quite near
lnything odd or unusual.
When he is suspicious OF danger,
le erects the stff hairs which form a
ight-colored patch about his tail.
md this glistens in the sunlight,
hus giving a noiseless, Photographic
ignal to the whole band. whose eyes
md ears are ever on the alert for !
LANCER
The bulls OF buffalo and wild cat !
la usually outskirt the herd, and
7hen the cows hear their snort,
eneral closing in movement is in
agurated, and living corral is :
orred, surrounded by staunch ,
tockade Of bulls, like great posts of
ak. which makes the venturesome
rizzly bear decide TO select a more
lvorable occasion. q
Some other animals, as the wolf =
nd coyote. although gregarious, are =
DO stupid to adopt any such means !
T protection. and only see 10 1t that =
unber one is safe and sound out of =
arms way.
still others going in herds or I,
ands, as horses. zebras and quas-
as. have a leader that they make a .
oint OF keeping a sharp watch on h
hen the leader neighs, throws up
Is head and starts of on a gallon, n
ie whole band moves as one body :,
his direction.
The crows custom of posting one 4
more sentinels on some conspicu- :,
rs. high branch is well known. =
Animals and Fire.