Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-09-04
LIFE IN THE DESERT.
Now Animals and Vegetation Fight
Aqainst Extinction.

Row Animals anu
Aqainst Extinction.
Almost all life on the desert goes
armed In the vegetation world OF the
desert the cactus comes first with Its
numberless species. They are all arm
ed with long or short, tough spines that
can penetrate the thickest boot. The
solitary and often grotesque Joshua OF
Yucca, the mesquite, the cats claw and
numberless shrubs whose names have
not been written, all are armed In ona
way or another. Some exude poison
aus san. others nauseating odors. The
kagebrush is about the only one that
does not seem to have any protection.
I, In the animal kingdom most are
either armed with sharp teeth, spines,
odors or poison to serve to keep their
enemies at a distance, while the others
depend upon their feetness or artful
skulking and hiding.
The spines and repulsive ella mon
ster. the horned toad, the sidewinder,
with his two horns and deadly fangs,
and its cousin, the desert rattlesnake;
the tarantula, scorpion and desert bee,
each of whose sting is exceedingly
painful and sometimes fatal, are
among the deserts denizens. Then
there are many varieties of lizards,
large and small and Of many colors,
which protect themselves by their speed
alone. The prowling coyote, bobcat,
mountain lion, jack rabbit, cottontan,
mountain sheep, ibex, antelope and an
occasional deer are there.
Among the smaller animals are the
gopher, kangaroo rat, trade rat, hydro
phobia skunk, ground squirrel and In
Vulnerable mice. But the traveller sell
dom sees any of these. The prospector,
however. soon becomes acquainted
with them. The first or at the latest,
second night of his stay In any one
camp lie will be visited by trade rat,
which will carry away all that portion
of his outfit that is not too heavy for
his ratship to handle and religiously
leave some stick or stone In its place.
A hydrophobia skunk will be apt to
call and lunch from any bacon rinds
that may be lying about, not disdain-
ing nip at Mr.. ProspectOr's nose II
the opportunity offers. 1t is said and
firmly believed by the sons OF the des-
ert that the bite of this little skunk
produces hydrophobia. The ella moi
ster Is seldom seen, and the writer
after having spent nearly a year on
the borders of Death valley has yet
to see one ut large. Rattlesnakes are
also scarce except in some favorable
locality.
All life on the desert lives by Its pow
er to resist thirst. All desert plants
are so constructed that they are able
to conserve and store up moisture
against the time of drought. This ne
cessity has wrought peculiar forms OF
both animals and plants, and In time
It also leaves its indelible mark upon
men who dwell amid its wastes. The
,, leaves of all desert trees are small and
thick, so that they expose as little sur
face as possible for evaporation In the
dry air.. The great and ever present
evidence of the struggle for water Is
noticeable everywhere where men
come together on the desert. In this
struggle all who come to the desert
must engage instantly. Every wagon
must have its water barrels, every
burro his water bags, each man his
canteen. Los Angeles Times.