Читать книгу Some Curious Flyers, Creepers, and Swimmers - Celia Thaxter - Страница 12
ОглавлениеANIMAL LIFE IN MADAGASCAR.
1. In the solitudes of Madagascar, where the forests are immense, and where animals can multiply without fear of man, the fauna possesses some singular features. The traveler can pass along without fear of the lions, leopards, and panthers of Africa and Asia; neither do zebras and quaggas gallop over the plains. In other countries, wherever the climate is hot enough, monkeys enliven the woods; here not a species is to be found.
2. It is true that there are large herds of cattle, which constitute the principal riches of the natives, but these have been imported from Asia. This species is remarkable from the lump of fat on its back, and is strikingly beautiful when seen in large herds wandering over the plains. The sheep, too, are peculiar, from their enormous tails, which consist of a mass of fat—a common feature in those belonging to the African Continent. Goats abound, as well as wild pigs, which ravage the plantations; but these are all supposed to have escaped from vessels, and not to be indigenous to the island.
The Aye-Aye and a Lemur in the forests of Madagascar.
3. The monkeys of other lands are, however, replaced by the lemurs—graceful little creatures of many varieties. There is a great resemblance in their attitude and manner of life to the ape, so that they have been styled monkeys with the fox's head. Their agility is marvelous; they leap through the air to a great distance, settling on a branch, which perhaps bends under their weight, and dart off again in evolutions of astonishing rapidity. The largest kind are about three feet long; the smallest are not larger than a rat.
4. In the most solitary parts of the southwest region lives that strange creature, the aye-aye. A nocturnal animal, gentle and timid, it is about the size of a cat, with a large head, round full eyes much like those of an owl, an enormous tail, and most curious formation of the fore-paws, the middle finger being long and slender. This, which looks like a deformity, is, in truth a wonderful arrangement of Nature for its special way of life. As it lives on the larvæ hidden in the trunks of trees, the finger can be easily introduced into the fissures from which it tears the coveted prey. Naturalists think it forms a link between the squirrel and monkey. The natives seem to have a superstitious dread of the animal, owing to its sleeping all the day in the most secret haunts; nor do they ever molest it, astonished as they seem to be by its peculiar form and movements.
5. There is another class of mammals peculiar to this island, called by the natives tendraks. They seem to be closely allied to the hedgehog, and are covered with spines. But the teeth differ and the tail is wanting; neither do they roll themselves into a ball, but, when frightened, hide the head between the paws. Seven or eight species have been discovered, in some of which the spines are soft and cover only a part of the body. They are all nocturnal in their habits, and their flesh is very good to eat. The flesh-eating animals are all small. The wild cat is a pretty creature. Its back is fawn-colored, with four stripes of reddish brown, and yellowish white under the body and paws. The ichneumon, with its long, thin body and shaded skin, is only half the size of its cousin of Egypt. It is a fearful enemy of all small animals, as rats, mice, and snakes, and one species feeds greedily on honey. The only plantigrade is of the size and appearance of a cat, but with feet formed like those of a bear.
6. It is very different in regard to birds; they can fly far, and so the tern, the petrel, the albatross, and many other well-known birds, abound on the island. One large species of duck, with bronze and violet reflections like metals, its white head and neck spotted with black, is a great favorite with the natives. In the marshes stalks the proud sultana-hen, with its magnificent blue body, a red patch on its head, and coral feet adorned with a tuft of white feathers. The jacana, a bird of the water-hen family, is also peculiar to this place; mounted on legs like stilts, and extremely long feet, it runs through the tall grass, or upon the floating water-leaves, with great rapidity. Its food is the leaves and roots of water-plants, and such insects and frogs as it can readily swallow.
7. The sacred ibis of Egypt is found in large flocks. The crested ibis is peculiar to the country—a beautiful bird, bright-eyed, with yellow beak and claws, and a green head from which the long plume of white and green feathers lies back. The beautiful cardinal, in its bright scarlet robe, black spotted on the back, haunts the open glades of the forest; and on the banks of streams are numerous linnets, wagtails, and humming-birds.
8. As for the reptile class, it is pleasant for the traveler to walk through the forests, knowing that the poisonous species are unknown. Beautiful lizards, covered with brilliant scales of olive or fawn, hide themselves under the stones or in old trees. But the chameleon is the most common of all the lizards; in the heart of the forests it may be seen crouched on the branches, calm and immovable, but rolling its large eyes in all directions to look out for insects. The crocodile is the only creature to be feared, and the natives have learned to shun the water which it inhabits.
9. There was a time when much more remarkable animals lived upon Madagascar. In the marshes near one of the principal rivers, the bones have been found of the hippopotamus, and immense tortoises; and near by have been discovered the feet and eggs of gigantic birds. These remains were so fresh that it was thought that living specimens of the bird might still be found in the interior; but this hope is now abandoned, though it is evident that they existed in large numbers at a very recent period. They probably disappeared before their cousin the dodo of Mauritius. Their eggs are six times as large as those of the ostrich.
Chambers's Journal.
