The Oryx

The Oryx defends itself with deadly, beautiful horns.

       The  Oryx  is  famous  for  its  beautiful  horns.  These  weapons  have  a  graceful curl  to  them  and  are  often  three  feet  long.  They  are  covered  with  rings, while  the  ends  are  smooth  and  very sharp.  It  is  fairly  common  all  over  South Africa,  living,  like  the  gazelle,  in  bands.  It  is  not  nearly  so  timid  as  the  former, and  when  wounded  shows  considerable  spirit.  It  is  apt  to  lie  quite  still  until the  hunter  comes  near,  then  suddenly  charges  with  lowered  head  and  horns well  out.     These  wounds  usually  prove  fatal.
       In  the  early  days  of  South  Africa  the  oryx  used  to  wander  over  the  land in  huge  herds.  So  many  thousands  traveled  together  that  everything  green was  eaten  till  the  country  looked  as though  it  had  been  swept  by  locusts. 

The White-Bearded Diana Monkey

Diana monkeys have white beards.

       Who  has  visited  any  zoological  collection  and  failed  to  see  the  beautiful white-bearded  Diana  Monkey?  This  spotless,  fussy  little  creature  is  the most  beautiful  of  all  the  monkey  tribes. Although  the  Diana  monkey  is  a tropical  animal,  it  lives  well  in  captivity,  and,  from  the cleanliness  of  its  habits, makes  a  good  pet.     A  proof  of  its  fussy  habits  is  shown  in  the  following:
      A  Diana  monkey  was  once  given  a  peach  through  the  bars  of  its  cage,  and on  account  of  the angry  mutterings  of  the  monkeys  around  it,  the  little  creature feared  it  would  be  stolen  from  it.  After  the  peach  was  eaten,  the  stone  had been  cracked  and  the  kernel  extracted  and  finished,  the  white  beard  under  its chin  was  stained  with  peach-juice.  The  monkey  was  much  disturbed,  and went  to  work  and  cleaned  it  until  every  speck  of  dirt  and  stain  had  gone,  and its  fur  stood  out  as  fluffy  as  before.

• See how to make monkey hands using a human handprint or cut-out and funny monkey faces.

Billy's Whiskers

 

Billy's Whiskers

Billy Goat had whizzy whiskers

Underneath his chin and where
All the merry little breezes
Might just toss it here and there.

Billy loved his whizzy whiskers,

But he truly loved them best

When they covered up his bosom

Better than a fancy vest.

''Why wear vests when I have whiskers?

Wherefore even wear a coat,

When my whiskers serve the purpose?

Proudly whispered Billy Goat.

But one day a cross tornado

Whisked his whiskers off, I'm told;

Thus divesting Bill of whiskers.

Now he shivers with the cold.

The Yak, Or Grunting Ox

Yak also called the Grunting Ox.

        The  Yak,  or  grunting  ox,  gets  its  name  from  the  peculiar  noise  it  makes. This  magnificent  creature  lives  in  the  Pamirs,  or  high  country  between  the Himalayas,  Russia,  and  China.  These  vast  plains  reach  for  many  miles,  and are  more  elevated  than  the  European  snow-line.  That  is  why  the  Pamirs  are called  the  roof  of  the  world.  Over  the  immense  tracks  of  Thibet  the  yak  wanders, either  in  small  companies  or  just  by  itself.  It  feeds  upon  the  grasses which  are  found  in  summer,  and  in  winter  digs  them  up  out  of  the  snow.  Its nose  is  strongly  built,  so  that  it  can  push  away  the  snow  which  covers  its  food. Its  sense  of  smell  is  also  very  keen,  and  enables  it  not  only  to  detect  its  food when  covered,  but  also  to  scent  enemies  at  a  great  distance.
       In  the  early  spring  the  female  gives  birth  to  a  single  calf,  which,  when young,  is  said  to  resemble  a  Newfoundland  dog.  At  this  early  age  the  calf  is in  great  danger  from  the  hungry  packs  of  wolves,  which  would  not  hesitate  to attack  the  old  bull  yaks  themselves.  The  people  of  Thibet  have  managed  to tame  this  great  creature  and  turn  it  into  a  beast  of  burden.  For  the  country  it lives  in  it  is  very  useful,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  the  Europeans  would  put  up  with its  whims  and  temper.  Its  skin  is  beautiful,  the  fur  growing  to  a  great  length on  the  sides,  while  its  bushy  white  tail  was  largely  sought  after  for  cap  decorations  and  fans  for  the  Chinese long ago.  There  is  a  species  called  the  "plough"  yak, which  is  not  as  line  an  animal  as  the  true  yak.  It  is  a  poor,  ill-used  beast,  and is  generally  without  a  tail,  which  its  cruel  master  has  cut  off  and  sold.

The Graceful Antelopes

A large herd of antelope.

       The  Antelopes  represent  a  large  and  important  group  of  animals  which are  more  or  less  common  in  all  tropical  parts  of  the  earth.  The  antelope comes  nearest  to  the  goat.
       Perhaps  the  best-known  member  of  this  family  is  the  pretty  and  graceful Gazelle.  The  gazelle  relies  wholly  for  its  safety  upon  its  great  speed.  They are  usually  found  in  large  bands,  protecting  each  other  from  the  attacks  of hyenas  and  jackals,  and  the  smaller  animals.  Against  the  lion,  the  leopard, and  man,  their  three  greatest  enemies,  they  are  almost  helpless.  In  spite  of the  wary  sentinel,  which  always  keeps  watch,  the  cunning  lion  works  its  way toward  the  gazelles  until  it  can  spring  upon  one  or.  at  any  rate,  reach  it  with a  couple  of  bounds.  The  lion  knows  perfectly  well  that  it  must  creep  up  within striking  distance,  for  should  it  be  seen,  the  gazelles  will  gallop  oft"  at"  a  pace which  the  great  cat  could  not  keep  up  for  fifty  yards.
       In  parts  of  Syria  and  Araoia  a  species  called  the  "aerial"  gazelle  is  held in  great  favor  as  a  household  pet.  It  is  a  pretty  little  creature,  with  large,  lustrous eyes,  docile  and  good-tempered.

Kids can learn to draw antelopes at Thrifty Scissors.

 

Kids can learn to draw gazelle too at our Thrifty Scissors blog.

Mr. Rooster's Pals...

        Walter Wellman says that hidden on Mr. Rooster are the names of many of his bird friends, each name containing five letters. Start with any letter and see if you can spell a word by using the letters connected with its direct paths. You can move in any direction but must not jump over any letters. Many of the letters must be used move than once. When you have all the words that can be made, all the letters will have been used. How many can you find? 

Find Mr. Rooster's friends...

The Famous Chamois

The chamois rest among the rocks.

       The    Chamois   is perhaps  the  most  famous member  of  the  antelope family.  It  is  quite  wrong to  class  this  little  animal among  the  goats,  although it  is  like  them  in appearance.The  home of  the  chamois  is  in  the highest Alps, where  it feeds  upon  the  grass  that grows    near  the   snowline.  Everyone  has heard  of  the  speed  and  jumping  power  of  the  chamois,  and last,  but  not  least,  its  wonderful  sense  of  smell. It  will  scent a  man  at  a  distance  which  one  would  hardly  believe  possible. When  the  wary  creature  is  alarmed,  it  will  stand  like  a  statue and   stare   in  the  direction  in  which  it  smells  danger. The instant  it  sees  anything  move,  it  rushes  up  the mountain-side. The  rate  at  which  it  disappears  is  something  astonishing.  The chamois  is  just  as  clever  at  getting  down  hill  as  it  is  going  up. Hunters  sometimes  chase  the  animal   until   they  think  they have   it  cornered,  and   then   it  will   escape  being  caught  by sliding  down  what  seems  to  be  a  perpendicular  precipice.
       The  affection  of  the  doe  chamois  for  her  young  is  well shown  by  the  story  of  a  hunter  who chased  a  chamois  and  her  young  toward  the  end  of  a  rock  which  was  separated  from  its surroundings  by  a  deep  chasm.    The  hunter  wanted,  of  course,  to  catch  the  young  ones  alive.  To his  surprise,  he  saw  the mother  spread   her  legs  across  the  chasm  between  the  two rocks,  and then  make  a  sign  to  the  young  ones  to  climb  on  her  back.     The youngsters   soon  made  a  bridge of  their  mother,  and  were  quickly  out  of harm's  way.
       The  chamois,  like  all  antelopes,  are  found  in  small  bands,  which  are  always guarded  by  a sentinel.  Its  height  is  about  two  feet,  and  its  skin  is  a  brownish black,  streaked  with  white around  the  face.  Its  horns,  which  are  about  six  or eight  inches  long,  are  turned  back  in  two  sharp hooks.  They  are  jet  black  and beautifully  polished.     In  the  spring-time  there  are  sharp  battles  among  the chamois  before  they  pair  off  for  the  season,  but  once  summer  comes  they  all live  happily together.  There  have  been  many  attempts  to  tame  the  chamois, but  they  have  only  been  partly successful.  It  is  so  shy  that  it  will  not  allow anyone  to  touch  it;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  like  a true  antelope,  it  is  consumed with  curiosity,  peeping  and  prying  into  everything. 

 

Kids can draw the alert chamois. See how they stand at attention and listen?

Kids can also draw chamois as they graze in the pastures.

The Tailless Gibbon

The tailless gibbon lives in the trees.

        The  Gibbons  are  the  ''fairy-monkeys''  of  the  trees,  spending  almost as  much  time  in  the  air  as among  the  branches.  The  gibbon forms  a  link  between  the  great  apes, the  baboons,  and  lesser  monkeys. Like  the  other  apes,  they  are  tailless, and  have  an  enormous  development of  arm-power.  The  gigantic gorilla  and  chimpanzee  are  both tree-dwellers,  but  neither  of  them  would  attempt  feats  like  the  gibbon, which  is  able  to  spring  through  space  in  traveling  from  tree  to  tree.  Owing to  this  wonderful  power,  it  has  been  given  by  the  naturalists  the  name  of "hylobate,"  meaning  "tree  traverser."
       The  Silvery  Gibbon  derives  its  name  from  the  silver-gray  color  of  its  fur. On  some  parts  of  the  body  there is  a  trace  of  brown,  while  the hands  are  dark-colored.  The eyes  of  all  the  gibbon  family  are large  and  deeply  sunk  in  the  head.  The  gibbon's  size  is  about thirty  inches.  The Malaccas  are the  home  of  the  gibbons,  where they  live  their  playful  life  amid  the high  trees  and  cane-fields.

To A Child, About a Dog...

 To A Child
About a Dog

 

The truest of unselfish friends;
The pal whose loving never ends.
In times of want or of increase
His selfless loving will not cease.

Through all his life (a little span)
He has no hope and makes no plan
Save giving all his love to man.

So honor, cherish and defend
The love and life of our dog friend.

J.M.

The Pekinese

The Pekinese

A-R-IS-TO-CRAT-IC,
I am, yes,
Mark well my look
Of haughtiness. 

With half a glance

It's plain to see

The high degree

Of my most royal 

Pedigree.

By Emperor and Mandarin,

By pampered ladies

Of the court

I am always sought.

Long and drooping

Silken hair;

Tail a plume of

Beauty rare.

Beauty, softness,

Wisdom, class;

All of these

Are qualities 

Of me, a Pekinese.

But let us see-

Yes, after all

A child will call

Me just a doggie

Like the others-

My own blood brothers.

Tiger, Tiger

 Tiger, Tiger 
by William Blake and
The last verse interpolated by J. M.

Tiger, tiger, burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Shaped thy fearful symmetry?

 

In what distant deeps or skies

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And, when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain?

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? What dread grasp

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,

And water'd heaven with their tears,

Did He smile His work to see?

Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Who can say? Which of us can

Comprehend His mighty plan?

Therefore let us rest content

Knowing Good is God's intent.

The Thieving Green Monkey

       The  Green  Monkeys  are  natives  of  Senegal,  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa. They  are  often  seen  in  Europe  and  America,  owing  to  their  being  well adapted  to  our  rigorous  climate.  They  are  famous  for  the  beauty  of  their silky  fur.  They  are  not  liked  by  the  natives,  owing  to  their  thieving  habits. One  green  monkey  is  not  a  serious  thing,  but  a  number  will  work  fearful havoc  in  a  very  short  time.  They  destroy  ruthlessly,  tearing  down  more  than they  can  eat  or  carry  away. 

• Green monkey facts you'll never forget by Kidadl

Large troop of Green Monkeys.

Kids can learn to draw a cute little monkey portrait...