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EFFECT OF FEAR IN ANIMALS.

195

the Spider from becoming a prey to its many enemies, especially as it has no place to which it can retreat as most other Spiders have. It has also another peculiarity, which is, that although I have frequently touched, and otherwise molested it, I never could induce it to do what others of its kind will do under similar circumstances - let itself fall to the ground, and then endeavour to escape. It seems to be fully aware that its safety depends on the few fine threads it throws out, and which it evidently left with reluctance.

The following fact, also, will serve to prove that fear will produce strange fellowships amongst animals. A friend of mine had a fierce Dog, chained to a kennel in his poultry-yard. In the yard there were a number of Ducks, who always kept out of the reach of the Dog, probably from his having shewn a disposition to kill them. One moonlight night a great commotion was heard in the yard, and the servant-man, on opening his window which looked into it, saw a Fox endeavouring to get at the Ducks, which had taken refuge in the Dog's kennel. The Dog protected them with the greatest eagerness, running backwards and forwards as far as his chain would let him, and continued to do so till the Fox was driven away.

Numerous instances might be brought forward of birds and quadrupeds in their wild state coming to man for protection, when their lives have been in danger. I remember, a few years ago, going to see

some hawking on a common near Southampton. There was a large assemblage, and many carriages. A white Pigeon was let loose, followed by a Hawk. After making several circles, the Pigeon, finding it could not escape from the Hawk, flew into one of the carriages, and took shelter on the bosom of a young lady. i It was claimed by the owner of the Hawk, and again turned loose, when it came again into the same carriage, and sought protection in the same place. It was claimed a second time, and, I regret to add, was a third time turned out. On this occasion, the poor bird, probably finding that the place of refuge it had sought would not avail it in its hour of need, fled across the country pursued by the Hawk, who struck it down. and killed it.

Timid, however, as most animals are and influenced by fear, it is astonishing how strongly affection operates over their greatest apprehension of danger. One of our travellers, I think it is Captain Welstead mentions, that, when he was in Syria, he and some of his party caught some young Gazelles, and, having cut their throats, suspended the carcases from the saddles of the different horsemen. In this situation they were followed the whole of the day by the bereaved and affectionate mothers, who forgot their own danger in their love for their offspring. The Gazelle is well

known to be one of the most timorous of animals; but here affection preponderated over the strongest impulses of its nature.

AFFECTION IN OTTERS.

197

Lieutenant Wood, also, in his very interesting account of his journey to discover the source of the river Oxus, mentions the following fact, shewing how strong under peculiar circumstances is the affection of animals for their young. His boat was moored on the shore of the Indus, where he disturbed a colony of Otters, which showed some resentment at the intrusion on their haunts. Two full-grown young ones were secured and put into a sack. Their cries brought the old Otters around the boat during the whole of the night. The next day he ascended the river for at least ten miles; and yet, whenever the young Otters made a wailing noise, the Otters not only surrounded the boat, but even attempted to get into it. It was difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain whether the parents had followed the boat that distance, although it is most probable that this was the case. At all events, it shews the sympathy of these animals for those of their species, which were in distress, and their own fearlessness of danger in their endeavours to relieve them.

A Hare is one of the most timid of animals, and yet affection will overcome its fears. A friend of mine, in one of his walks, was attended by his Dog, who caught a Leveret. The mother, on hearing its cries, came up to the Dog, stood close to it on its hind legs, and evidently tried to induce the Dog to follow it, and to quit the young one. A person, on whose veracity I can depend, assured me that he had seen a Hare beat off

a Stoat several times that had attacked one of its young. The gardener of a friend of mine, a Suffolk Clergyman, once saw a Rabbit, that had young, attack a weazel that had come to its nest, and drive it across a field, by drumming with its feet on the animal's back.

While on the subject of Stoats, I may mention the following curious fact, related to me by Mr. G. Nightingale, of Kingston-on-Thames, which shews the care animals will take, in order to place their young out of the reach of danger.

Riding one day with a party of friends in Richmond Park, he observed a Stoat run up an oak-tree, and enter a hole in it at a height of about fifteen feet from the ground. Seeing two boys in search of birds' nests near the spot, he persuaded one of them to ascend the tree, and ascertain what was in the hole. On his arriving at it, two old Stoats bolted from it, and made their escape. After some hesitation, the boy thrust his hand into the hole, and drew out of it a full grown Rabbit, the head only of which had been partly eaten. He then pulled out two young Rabbits, each about half grown, and untouched, and afterwards, nine young Stoats. When we consider what a very diminutive animal the Stoat is, it is surprizing that two of them should have been able to drag a full-grown Rabbit to a perpendicular height of fifteen feet.

A large dead branch on the top of one of the old Oak trees in the Home Park, Windsor, was recently

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sawn off. On measuring the height from the ground, it was found to be seventy feet. Some Bees had built their waxen cells in the hollow part of the branch, and, on removing the honey-combs, a Mouse jumped out from amongst them, having evidently contrived to ascend that distance in order to feed on the honey, of which that animal is very fond. By what instinct the Mouse was guided to the spot, it is difficult to guess. Mice sometimes commit much havoc in my Bee-hives.

We might almost suppose that Shakspeare took his description of trees "o'ercome" with Mistletoe from those which may now be seen in the Home Park, Windsor. So completely has the Mistletoe taken possession of them, that they have become ragged, "forlorn and lean." Our great bard must have been a close observer of nature, for it is in summer more particularly that the baneful effects of this parasite on trees are conspicuous. It is then that the dead and decaying branches, which the Mistletoe has deprived of their usual nourishment, can be contrasted with those which shew more life and vigour. This is the case with the lime trees in "Datchet mead," a place so often mentioned in the "Merry Wives of Windsor." It is always pleasing to trace Shakspeare's knowledge of particular localities, and even to fancy that he formed his ideas from facts connected with them.

I have never yet met with any trees so much

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