Bisbee daily review., 1907-12-10
TWO QUEER ANIMALS
The Marabou and the Kyena oi
 Central Africa.
BOTH vULTuREs IN NATURE.

Each Gorses Itself on carrion, and ths
 Bird and Beast Often Battle For
 Their Food-Fairyliks Plumss That
 Are as Light as Air.
 The ugliest sterks in the world are found in southern Asia and central
 Africa Their flesh colored heads are
 eniy partially covered with stiff, wiry
 feathers, and hanging on the breast
 they bear disgusting pouch, which
 answers the purpose of a crop. One of
 the largest of these storks is the mara
 bou. It stalks about the great sandy
 pIaIns Oi ceutTaI nIrIca wItn con-
 posture and lordly grandeur, as If it
 were the most beautiful bird in the
 world. Its body feathers are of dull
 metallic green color, and its wings and
 tail are dingy black. Looking at the
 awkward creature, no one would sus-
 pect that under its ungainly wings it
 carried the most exquisite and fairy
 like little plumes. so airy that it takes
 basketfuls of them to weigh an ounce.
 They are pure white and so much de-
 sired for trimming that the bird is wig
 orously hunted by the natives, who
 sell these dainty feathers to traders
 for very large price.
 The marabou feeds on carrion, like the vulture It's throat Is very large, and it win greedily eat everything that
 comes in its way. In the sYamps and
 plains around Khartum, on the Nile, are immense flocks of marabous, and they are so daring as to come to the slaughter houses on the outskirts of the city in search of food, and whole OK ears and shin bones with hoof at tached have been found in the crops
 of specimens which have been killed.
 These birds are skillful fishers. They haunt the low marshy islands in the rivers and lakes of central Africa, with l elephants, monkeys, famingoes and l many varieties of birds for compan.
 Ions. and gain their principal food from
 the water. They often go in compa'
 nies of ten or twelve to fish. Wading | in the water, the birds form a circle | which they gradually draw together 1 gathering the frightened fish in the | center of the net. when with their long
 bills and quick movements they speed | fly provide themselves with a hearty | meal.
 Although marabou mammas have
 been seen proudly parading around
 with a brood of diminutive downy
 young ones, so shy and retiring is thiS bird in its domestic habits that nat | uralists have been unable to determine
 when and how it builds its nest. The
 natives assert that 1t nests in higi trees. but their statement is not con
 firmed.
 In captivity the marabou Is lord o
 the inclosure, and In geological gardens
 where specimens have been confined
 no other birds or even small beast: 1 dare approach the feeding trough un
 til the hunger of this impudent bird i satisfied and 1t has retired to the warm
 est corner for a nap. The immenst strength of its bill makes it a formida
 ble enemy, and when fighting for fooi it will often overcome the largest yul
 lures and wage successful battles witt
 beasts of prey.
 The hyena inhabIts the same DOT
 tions of Asia and Africa as the mara
 bou, and travellers give accounts o
 terrible contests between these tw
 singular members of the animal king
 dom. The hyena is called the yultur , among beasts, as it prefers carrion flo
 it's food, and as long as it can fin
 dead animals to deyour it leaves tn fiocks and herds in peace. Cowardl by nature, 1t rarely attacks man c beast unless driven to desperation b hunger.
 The striped hyens inhablts the nortl 7 sss ..t 1slaes +.:., s:.= pens4a a n { Syria, while the spotted species, whic Is easily tanned and is sometimes cal . ed hyens dog, ls found in large nun } hers in the vast plains Of South Afrie' The hSens Is a strange looking beas It has big head and a Asayy, shagg 3 nane. The hind part of its bedy 3 much lower than its shoulders. and I ! hind legs are short This odd formi } sion gives 1t an awkward, shamblin { manner of walking, which is both | dicrous and hideous.
 This creature rarely shows itself ! i ! day, but when the shadows of nigl fall on the plains and forests 1t come out from it's home among the rocl and eaverns In search of food. Afr can travellers are much annoyed by When the camp Is silent and all al | sleeping the hyena comes provlir 3 round, uttering hoerse human erie s and should 1t fail to find sufsciel camp refuse to satisfy its hunger son poor donkey Is sure to be torn pieces by its terribly strong jaws. Few animals have been the subje of 30 much superstition In anciel times 1t was believed that a dog wei mad if a hyena turned its evil eye U on II, and the beast was believed 2 many to be a wicked sorcerer, VI went about in human form by di ! and at night assumed the shape of T hyena. The poor and ignorant pea antry of Arabia even at the presei $ day believe in the evil eye of tn $ beast and are afraid to shoot 1t Ie j they should incur the wrath of | $ wicked spirit which they imsgil k walks the earth in this ugly form. The poor hyena. however. far fro ! being an evil spirit, is real blessil \ to the regions if inhabits, as 1t Is $ natural scsvenger. provided by | z kind wisdom of nature to clear |