The Magnificent Buffalo

       The  Buffalo  of  Asia,  Africa,  and  India  is  a  magnificent  animal.  The horns  of  the  Indian  variety  frequently  measure  as  much  as  twelve  feet  from tip  to  tip.  The  strength  of  the  animal  is  enormous,  and  its  thick-set  limbs are  capable  of  great  endurance.  Its  speed  for  its  size  and  build  is  almost incredible.  The  buffaloes  love  water,  and  can  always  be  found  near  swampy ground,  where  they  roll  themselves  in  the  mud  until  their  skin  is  thoroughly caked.  This  serves  to  keep off  flies  and  mosquitoes.  The  temper  of  the  buffalo is  uncertain,  as  may  be  gathered  from  looking  into  its  face,  which  always shows  the  same  scowling  ferocity.  The  hunting  of  this  animal  is  very  difficult, as  its  skin,  which  looks  at  a  distance  like  rubber,  is  so  tough  that  it  will almost  turn  a  bullet  away.  To  kill  a  buffalo  with  a  single  shot  is  nearly impossible.  Should  the  brute  be  only  wounded,  it  will  charge  at  once.  When fairly  roused  its  fury  is  frightful  to  behold.  It  tears up  the  ground  with  its horns  and  wreaks  its  vengeance  upon  the  nearest  thing  at  hand.  Whether the  buffalo  is  dealing  with  man  or  beast,  it  never  leaves  its  victim  until  it  has trampled  every  trace  of  life  out  of  it.  The  great  hunter,  Sir  Samuel  Baker, mentions  having  seen  a  buffalo  beat  off  a  pair  of  lions  which  had  attacked  it. On  another  occasion  he  saw  a  buffalo  pulled  down  by  four  lions,  but  only  after a  battle  which  lasted  a  couple  of  hours. 

       In  the  spring  the  old  bulls  have  great  battles  among  themselves  for  the possession  of  the  females.    They  become  so  absorbed  in  the  fight  that  one  can come  easily  near  them;  but  should they  happen  to  catch  sight  of  the  intruder, they  are  liable  to  both  drop  their  quarrel  and  charge  together.  Unless  a  tree is  handy,  and  a  thick  one  at  that,  the  result  is  unpleasant.  When  a  bull  has defeated  its  rival  and  driven  it  off  the  field  of  glory,  the  old  rascal  sets  out  to look  for  another  one  to  fight.  On  one  occasion  a  victorious  buffalo  was  seen to  drive  its  long  horns  into  the  flanks  of  its  foe  and  kill  it.

The Restless Rhesus Monkey

        The  Rhesus  Monkey, the  monkey  made  famous  by  Kipling  in  his Jungle  Stories, is  the  true  Bander  of  the  Hindoos.  They  have  a  restless, quarrelsome  disposition,  and  appear  to  lead aimless  lives.  As  they  are  another branch  of  the  sacred  monkeys  of  India,  they  feel  at  liberty  to  plunder the  stores  and  gardens  of  their  protectors  without  showing  the  slightest  fear. It  has  been  agreed  on  all  sides  that  for  cunning  and  insolence  they  have  no equal.

A family of Rhesus monkeys by the water.

       Once, long ago, a  district  magistrate  in  Bengal  had  a  number  of  fine  peach-trees,  the  fruit of  which  he  was  very  proud,  and  therefore  anxious  to  save.     Now  the  local Rhesus  monkeys  had  also  taken  a  fancy  to  these  same  peaches,  and  forthwith  a war  began  between  the  man  and  the  beasts.  First  of  all,  a  Hindoo  was  put on  guard,  but  the  monkeys  cared  little  or  nothing  for  him,  well  knowing  that his  caste  and  religion  forbade  him  injuring  them.  Now  the  white  man  in  India did  not  care  an  atom  for  the  monkey in those days,  for  he  had  no  scruples  about  their sanctity,  and  if  they  did steal  from  him,  he  punished  them  as  much  as  he  dared without  offending  the  natives.  So  one day a  white  man  mounted  guard  over  the  peach trees.  The  monkeys  came  into  the  orchard  boldly  enough,  but  this  man chased  them  off,  using  his  stick  freely. The  marauders,  astonished  beyond measure,  retired  to  the  top  of  the  high  trees  to  consult.  For  a  long  time  they coughed,  chattered,  pulled  tails,  and  shook  the  branches  with  excitement  and rage  until  they  agreed  upon  a  plan.  They  divided  into  bands.  First  one would  pretend  to  enter  the  orchard,  and  when  the  guard  flew  at  them  another band  would  swarm  over  the  bamboo  fence  and  scramble  up  the  trees,  shaking the  branches  and  causing  a  shower  of  ripe,  golden  peaches.  Meanwhile  others would  scamper  round  on  the  ground,  grabbing  up  what  they  could,  and  then once  more  retire,  chattering  with  delight,  to  the  safety  of  the  high  trees.  The sun  being  hot  and  the  man  out  of  breath,  he  naturally  lost  his  temper  and went  for  a  gun.  This  did  not  trouble  the  monkeys,  for  they  had  seen  weapons pointed  at  them  before,  but  never  fired.  The  man  rushed  to  the  fence  upon which  a  number  of  monkeys  were  still  perched,  and,  picking  out  one  offender, he  fired.  The  poor  creature  set  up  a  howl  of  pain  as  it  fell,  and  then,  to  the amazement  of  the  man,  held  out  to  him  its  bloody,  shattered,  little  hand.  In a  moment  or  two  it  toppled  over  dead,  and,  regardless  of  the  danger,  the other  monkeys  scrambled  over  the  fence  and  bore  the  body  away.  The  result was  that  the  monkeys  retired  from  that  spot,  and  the  magistrate  gathered  his peaches  in  peace;  but  the  man  never  after  raised  a  gun  to  a  monkey, feeling quite guilty of his crime.

A Winter Artist

A Winter Artist
by Clara R. Bete

Winter time has come again.
Jack Frost, on the windowpane,
With the greatest care will trace
Patterns finer than old lace;
Fairies, flowers, and ferns he'll etch,
Or perhaps will make a sketch
Of a castle with a wall,
Or a maiden straight and tall.

O Jack Frost, it seems to me
Kind and skillful you must be-
You draw things that give delight,
And do it all in just one night!

Kites On High!

 Kites On High!
by Robert Louis Stevenson

I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass.
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did,
But always you yourself you hid.
I felt you push, I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all.
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!

O you, that are so strong and cold,
O blower, are you young or old?
Are you a beast of field and tree,
Or just a stronger child then me?
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!

Animal Alphabet, U through Z

The UNICORN
Had but one horn
To jab his foeman with;
It would not do
To search the zoo
For him, for he's a myth.

The toughest bird

Of which I've heard

Without doubt is the VULTURE.

He steals and slays,

And all his ways

Proclaim he has no culture.

The WILDCAT'S name

Shows he's not tame;

He's anything but mild.

His friends are few;

He knows it, too,

And that's what makes him wild.

Let's not discuss

The XIPHIAS,

I'm sure you would be bored.

the only thing

Interesting

About him is his sword.

It's well to stay

Quite far away

From YELLOW-JACKET'S nest.

For he can sting

Like anything;

That's what he does the best.

The old ZEBU

Would hardly do

To ride upon the street.

Though he knows how

To pull a plow,

He's anything but fleet.

Ross F. Taylor

1rst and 2nd and 3rd and 4th pages

Animal Alphabet, N through T

 Some call the NEWT 
A savage brute,
And say we should avoid him.
But I've not seen
Him very mean,
Unless some one annoyed him.

 

The OYSTER'S brain
Weighs but a grain;
He's ignorant, and yet
He's very kind,
And you will find
He makes a lovely pet.

I would suggest

You don't molest

The prickly PORCUPINE.

His quills might be

Quite nice to see -

They do not feel so fine.

The mountain QUAIL

Likes snow and hail

And chilly weather most.

He's very good

Out in the wood;

He's better upon toast.

RHINOCEROS

Looks cross to us,

And rather loose and lumpy;

But I suppose

A horny nose

Would make us grim and grumpy.

The SNAIL, you know,

Is very slow;

He doesn't dare to roam

Without his shack

Upon his back,

So he'll always be at home.

The TIGER knows

A lot of foes;

'Most all the creatures fear him.

I you should meet

Him in the street,

You'd best not linger near him.

1rst and 2nd and 3rd and 4th pages

Animal Alphabet, G through M

 The billy GOAT
Can't sing a note;
He has no education.
But it is said
He'll use his head
And cause great consternation.

 

The HIPPOPOT-

AMUS is not

The handsomest of creatures.

But then it would 

Be very rude

To criticize his features.

It's foolish, quite

To quake with fright

At the harmless, tame ICHNEUMON.

I must admit

I'm scared of it;

But then, I'm only human.

The JELLYFISH

Has no ambish;

He drifts around the sea;

He's satisfied 

To ride the tide;

He's wretched company.

The KANGAROO

Feels very blue

Because his legs don't mate.

Unless he trims

His long hind limbs,

He can't improve his gait.

Nobody thinks

Much of the LYNX;

In fact, he much berated.

He's very sly,

and that is why

He's not domesticated.

The MASTODON

Is dead and gone;

Quite naturally, I think

He made his home

Way up 'round Nome;

No wonder he's extinct.

1rst and 2nd and 3rd and 4th pages

Animal Alphabet, A through F

 A New Animal Alphabet by John Martin
 

The ALBATROSS Can fly across
The sea in ninety days.
It is agreed
That such a great speed
Entitles him to praise.

 

The BEAVER'S bite

Must be a fright

If properly inflicted.

If he bites me

I hope to see

Him speedily convicted.

 

The sand-hill CRANE

Is very vain

Of his ability

To stand a week 

Out in the creek

On one extremity.

The first of four sheets for the illustrated Animal Alphabet.

A fearful beast, 
To say the least,
Was the ancient DINOSAURUS.
He was so great,
We're fortunate
He died long years before us. 

The slippery EEL

Would doubtless feel

Sincere humiliation,

Should you mistake

Him for a snake;

They're really no relation.

It seems to me

The little FLEA

Is very justly hated.

I know that I'd

Be satisfied

Had he not been created.

1rst and 2nd and 3rd and 4th pages

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.