"Now, Charley," said Mr. Brown at his next visit, "I've got some new
curiosities for your Museum; that is, stuffed animals. You know I told
you, about your birds, that the skin was taken off carefully and filled
out plumply with some dry, soft substance. Just so it is with these
animals."
[Illustration: ERMINE IN HIS SUMMER DRESS.]
Here, first, look at this Ermine, which, for a very long while, has been
so famous for its beautiful fur, that kings and nobles have paid a
high price for it to trim their robes, This fur in summer is dark
colored, but in winter it is an elegant white, except on the tip of the
tail, where it is jet black.
The Ermine lives in the northern parts of the Old and New Worlds, and it
preys on hares and rabbits and almost every other creature it is strong
enough to master.
I will tell you a story about the Ermine. Mr. Sturgis, of Boston, was
formerly engaged in trading with the natives on the north west-coast of
America, for furs.
The natives had no currency. But the skin of the Ermine, found in
limited numbers upon the northern part of the continent, was held in
such universal estimation, and of such uniform value, among many tribes,
that it in a measure supplied the place of currency. The skin of this
little slender animal is from eight to twelve inches in length,
perfectly white, except the tip of the tail, which is jet black.
Urged by some Indian friends, in 1802, Mr. Sturgis obtained and sent
home a fine specimen, with a request that a quantity should be ordered
at the annual Leipsic fair, where he supposed they might be obtained.
About five thousand were procured, which he took out with him on the
next voyage, and arrived at Kigarnee, one of the principal trading
places on the coast, early in 1804. Having previously encouraged the
Indians to expect them, the first question was, if he had "clicks," (the
Indian name for the Ermine skin) for sale, and being answered in the
affirmative, great earnestness was manifested to obtain them, and it was
on that occasion that he purchased five hundred and sixty prime
sea-otter skins, at that time worth fifty dollars a piece at Canton, in
a single fore-noon, giving for each five ermine skins, that cost less
than thirty cents each in Boston. He succeeded in disposing of all his
ermines at the same rate, before others carried them out--but in less
than two years from that time, one hundred of them would not bring a
sea-otter skin.
[Illustration: PINE MARTEN.]
And here is a Pine Marten, which, as you see, has also very beautiful
fur, which brings a high price. Notice what a long, slender body, short
muzzle, and sharp teeth it has. It is a great robber, and kills rabbits,
birds, chickens, and young ducks in great numbers, creeping slyly up to
them, darting at them, and piercing their necks with its sharp teeth. It
is found almost all over the world. Here is a story about the Marten
which I have copied from a book.
There is another strong instinct which the Marten evinces even when
tamed. It has an implacable hostility to cats, and lets slip no
opportunity of springing upon them and giving them a mortal wound. In
the forests, diminutive as it is in comparison, it battles stoutly with
the wild cat; and we shall venture to quote from "The British
Naturalist" an account of one of these battles, as from an eye witness.
"In the year 1805, a gentleman, on whose veracity we can depend,
witnessed one of those combats in the Morven district of Argyleshire. In
crossing the mountains from Loch Sunart southward, he passed along the
bank of a very deep wooded dell, the hollow of which, though it
occasionally showed green patches through trees and coppice, was one
hundred and fifty or two hundred feet from the top. The dell is of
difficult access, and contains nothing that would compensate the labor,
and thus it is abandoned to wild animals, and, among others, to the
Marten, which, though the skin fetches a high price, is not so much
hunted there as in more open places; because, though they might succeed
in shooting it from the heights above, they could not be sure of
removing the body. Thus it is left to contend with the mountain cat for
the sovereignty of this particular dell, and both are safe, except when
they approach the farm-house at the bottom of the hill. The contest then
lasted for more than a half an hour, and both combatants, were too
intent on each other's destruction to shun or fear observation. At last,
however, the Marten succeeded in falling upon the right side of the
cat's neck, and jerking his long body over her, so as to be out of the
reach of her claws; when, after a good deal of squeaking and struggling,
by which the enemy could not be shaken off, the martial achievements of
puss were ended in the field of glory."
Next comes a Ruffed Lemur, as it is called from the half-circle of white
hair, which you see on each side of its face. Notice, too, Charley, the
big patches of white on its back and sides, and its long bushy tail,
longer even than its whole body.
[Illustration: RUFFED LEMUR.]
"It is a native of Madagascar, which, you see on your map, is an island
south-east of Africa. It lives in the thick woods, and sleeps all day,
but when night comes, it starts forth after its food, which consists of
fruits, insects, and small birds. It is a little bigger, you see, than a
common cat. The Lemur, of which there are several varieties, is a good
deal like a monkey in his habits and some of them look like monkeys.
"You've seen, Charley, tigers in the Menagerie. Notice how much this
animal resembles a tiger, being shaped and striped like it, but a good
deal smaller, and measuring three feet long and eighteen inches high.
You can perceive, then, why it is sometimes called tiger-cat, though its
most common name is Ocelet. It is a native of Mexico and Peru, and if
caught young, is easily tamed. When it is wild, it feeds mostly on
Monkeys, which it takes by its cunning.
[Illustration: AN OCELET.]
[Illustration: CANADA LYNX.]
"Here's one more animal for you, Charley, called the Canada Lynx, which
would make you laugh, if you could see it alive and moving. It doesn't
walk or run, but sticks up its back and jumps forward with all four feet
in the air at once. If you apply that measuring rule of yours to it,
you'll find it about three feet long. It is a native of North America,
and its skin is highly valued, so that eight or nine thousand of them
are carried, every year to England. Muffs and tippets are made of the
fur of the Lynx."
"I know that," said Charley, "for my mother's muff and tippet are made
of Lynx skin."
"You notice, Charley, that most of the animals, that have nice furs,
live in cold countries, some of them where is ice and snow through the
whole year. What, my boy, do you suppose is the reason for this."
"Is it not, uncle, because the people there need these warm furs to
keep out the terrible cold?"
"Certainly, Charley, that's one reason, and it shows how the good God
takes care of all the creatures he has made, wherever they are. But
isn't there another reason?"
"I don't think of any other, uncle?"
"Why, Charley, don't these animals want this nice, thick fur to keep
themselves warm?"
"Oh yes, yes, dear uncle, why didn't I think of that?"
"You see, then, Charley, that God provides for the animals he made, as
well as for men. So he gives fur to those living in very cold countries,
while he does not give it, at least very thick, to those of warmer
climates, because they would be uncomfortable with such a covering."
Here is a picture of a Caracal, which is a sort of Lynx.
[Illustration]