Animals Which Fell From Grace.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 76

Animals Which Fell From Grace.

— Changed their Natural Habit* and Be<oame Enemies of the Human Race. — The notoriety gained some years back by the New Zealand- "fcea," which from, being a farmers' friend' developed into one of his most dreaded enemies through the acquired taate of the huge cockatoo for the kidney fat of living sheeg> is paralleled in many other instances in" the German colonies. A German zoologist relates how the ohacma baboon has now become a re- . gular scourge in some ports of South-wes-tern Africa, for an unexpected reason. It is perfectly notorious that it has largely taken to killing lamb*, for- the purpose chiefly of sucking the milk witfi which the lambs have filled their stomachs. j The reason that this animal has, if any- I thing, increased in the colony, during recent years is twofold. Firat, the alarm ing spread of the prickry tree in some districts has provided it with almost impenetrable eheJter and abundant food, as it is fond of the fruit, and also eats the leaves. Secondly, it has become so cunning that only by -means of artful manoeuvres can one get a shot at it. A friend pf the zoologist whose wife could approach a troop of baboons without disturbing them borrowed one day her cloak and hat and then went out. They let him approach to very close quarters, and two of tvhem were shot .before the re- f maiitder got into shelter. | Sometimes the farmers of. a district com- j bine, and during the night surround their sleeping place. As soon as the day breaks and the baboons try to escape they are shot down in lafge numbers, but this method of reducing their ranks has not always been practicable. The baboon is not the only South African Animal which has during recent times changed its habits. Thus the so-called '.. "wet-ga*-«preouiw" was formerly never ' . known to touch fruit, its food consisting chiefly of insects, but during recent years it ha*, at all events on some farms with which the above zoologist ie acquainted, be- j \ come very destructive to fruit. I ' Another case which possibly comes under the same category is that of the Moan- , ' hoar jackal. Many districts in South Africa are paying a. high reward for this animal j because it is destructive to small stock. This, however, is only in certain districts. I In others the animal has not changed his ' habits. This may be due to the fact that with the advance <>£ civilisation its natural \ food if jailing. — Philadelphia Record. I < Birds tkat Bold Dancing Parties. \ The males of the Great Bird of Paradise < hold regular dancing parties in the tree 1 ; tops. A tree is selected which has on < ' exten&ive head of branches bearing broad < leaves; there -tihis most gorgeous of all { birds dances a stately minuet. A score- of i birds will assemble, with erected plumes and ontetretohed wines. In great excitement they .fly from branch to branch is J every variety of motion, but with an ' astounding regularity. . < There is no sight to compare with one of i

these ctencing parties. Each bird 1 fa overshadowed with its marvellously coloured plumes of gold striped with deep .red, while its yellow head and emerald-green throat e;re kept in constant motion. The whole tree top appears to be a blaze of everahanging colour and life. But this bird is by no means the only one which indulges in dancing. There is a small South American bird which dances in a very novel manner; the natives coil it the baikdor, or dancer. Two boikwJors will, perch on twigs about a couple of feat apart in order to have a song and dance. Alternately they will jump about two feet in tjhe air, alighting exactly upon the spot jumped from. In perfect time one bird will jump as the - other alights, each bird singing to the tune of To-le-do. The To is sung as the bird crouches reiad^ ito spring; the le is aung while in the air::- and the do on alighting. So tKe sonjg a-ToA <Ja»ce> until the birds are tired. No fcird as fonder of a delirious reel than one of the tyrant-birds. This bird prefers to perch on the top of a bush, and at intervals it leaves the -twig in order to waltz around and wound in the air. It twists about so rapidly that its wings- make a distinct humming sound, and resemble a streak of 'mist. All of a sudden its mod reel finishes, and the bird goes back to its twig to sit until the next waltz.