weighs but twenty-one grains. It is received into the abdominal pouch of the mother. At this period of its growth its fore paws are comparatively large and strong, and the claws extremely distinct, to facilitate its motion during its residence in its mother's pouch. The hind legs, which are afterwards to become very bony and stout, are then shorter and smaller than the others. The young one continues to reside in the pouch till it has nearly attained maturity. It occasionally creeps out for exercise or amusement, and even after it has quitted this retreat it often returns to it for shelter on the least indication of danger. Kangaroos live in burrows under the ground and subsist on vegetable substances, chiefly grass; when they feed in herds of thirty and forty together, as they sometimes do, one of the herd is generally stationed as a guard at a distance from the rest. Their eyes are furnished with winking membranes, capable of being extended at pleasure entirely over the ball. From the general form and structure of the kangaroo it is evident that its chief progressive motion must be by leaps; in these exertions it has been seen to exceed twenty feet at a time, and this so often repeated as almost to elude the fleetest grey-hound, and it is able with ease to bound over obstacles nine feet or more in height. The American Opossum. The opossum, found in the southern part of our country, has a pointed head, wide gape, numerous sharp teeth, a rough tongue, ears large and naked, small eyes, the tail long, tapering, flexible, and prehensile; the toes are armed with sharp, strong, curved claws. In its habits it is mostly nocturnal and arboreal, feeding alike upon insects, eggs, birds and fruits. It sometimes invades the barn-yards, and destroys the poultry, it is said, for their blood. It is a good deal hunted, and manifests much dexterity in escaping, by creeping away amid the grass, and sometimes pretending to be dead. In defending itself it bites severely. It is sluggish in its movements, and will sometimes lie on its back in the sun for hours; it often suspends itself from the brush of a tree by its tail. It is very prolific, producing from six to fifteen at a birth. The young at this period are well formed, and weigh from three to four grains each. As soon as produced, they are shoved into the pouch by the mother with her snout, and there find their food by instinct. Their growth is very rapid; at a week old they weigh thirty grains. They remain in the pouch till they are able to move about. At the age of four weeks they may be seen peeping out of their sack; a week afterward they venture forth, but keep close to the mother, and hold on to her by their tails, often riding on her back. Sometimes with a dozen young ones of the size of rats, thus clinging around her legs, neck and body, and some of them dragging along on the ground, she may be seen going about in search of food. At this age these animals are pretty. They remain with their mother till about two months old; they then learn to take care of themselves, but continue in the vicinity, seeming still to be under maternal gaurdianship in a certain degree. Meantime another litter is produced, and during the season a third, and some of all these may be seen at once with their prolific parent. In winter, if the climate is cold, the opossums become sluggish, but not torpid like the woodchuck. They are common in all the Southern and Southwestern States, and in California and Mexico. They are also found in the Middle States as far north as Pennsylvania, and sometimes in New Jersey. ་་ CHAPTER X. WILD SPORTS IN THE TROPICS. The Bulky Elephant-Tale of the Assyrian Queen-Panic and Frightful Carnage-Ivory Palaces-Thrones of Elephants' Tusks-Elephant Gymnasts-The Monster Frightened by a Horse-Revenge for an Insult-Droves of Game-Passionate Cry and Wild Rush-A Situation Apparently Hopeless-At the Mercy of the Infuriated Beast-Exploits of Jan Wildeman-A Frightened ScotsmanImmense Quantities of Ivory-Baldwin Pursued by an Elephant-Miraculous Escape-Exciting Chase-Goatskin Clothing Torn to Shreds-The Rhinoceros-Powerful Animal-Hunted with Elephants-Terrible Weapon of Attack and Defense-Story of a Desperate Fight-Hunting Rhinoceroses with HorsesStrange 'Rhinoceros Birds"-Mad Beast Attacking Hunters-Lucky Shot-"Fire-Eating Rhinoceros"-Routing a Camp at Night-Horse Saved by a Bullet-Sudden Upset of a Wagon-Helping the Young to Escape-Vast Size of the Hippopotamus-Anger Easily Aroused-Manner of Hunting the RiverHorse-Hiding Under Water-Cumming's Adventure with a Hippo-Man and Beast Splashing in the Water Together-Unique Surgical Operation-Steering the Huge Creature Ashore-Boat Smashed by a Sea-Cow--Snatched from Devouring Jaws-Crocodiles Startled from Slumber-Dangers of Gorilla Hunting-Fierce Aspect of the Gorilla--Amazing Power of the "Wild Man"—Elephants Routed by Gorillas-The Fleet Ostrich-Modes of Capturing the "Flying Camel"-Hunters' Disguise—A Flying Run—Baldwin and Andersson's Adventures-Concern of the Old Birds for their Young. F we go back, desirous to trace the earliest knowledge of the elephant, we are lost in traditions referring to heroes or kings whose names survive, but of whose acts, however famous, no record remains. Thus, Bacchus, one of the conquerors of India, is said to have been the first that yoked the elephant to a car; and, according to Lucian, he brought not only gems, but the bones of elephants from Ethiopia, which were deposited in the temple of Dea Syria. Throughout the Iliad of Homer, ivory is but once mentioned, and that notice occurs in the description of the bit of a horse's bridle, belonging to a Trojan. But in the Odyssey, the palace of Menelaus, after his return from his voyages in Egypt and Phoenicia, is enriched with ornaments of ivory, as well as amber and gold. Of the union of gold and ivory of the Greeks and Romans in works of art, we have many accounts. Ancient historians, such as Diodorus, the Sicilian, relate the following tale: Semiramis, the Assyrian Queen, longed for the conquest of India, but dreaded the elephants which Stabrobates, the king she purposed attacking, could bring into the field. She therefore directed 300,000 black oxen to be slain, and of the skins, sewn together and stuffed with straw, artificial elephants to be formed, so that each one might be carried by a camel, and directed by a man. All this being secretly done, and the horses of the army familiarized with the machines, Semiramis took the field at the head of an immense force of cavalry and infantry. Stabrobates, meanwhile, had increased the number of his elephants, and furnished them completely with offensive and defensive armor. He sent embassadors to the Queen with protests against her invasion and threats of her destruction, but her reply was a smile, and proceeding to the Indus she sank a thousand of his vessels, and took a great number of captives. Stabrobates feigned a panic, and fled; the feint took; Semiramis crossed the river, and pursued the Indians with the greater part of her forces. In her front she placed the artificial elephants. Stabrobates repented of his retreat when he heard of their number, but he was comforted by the tidings of deserters as to their true character. Semiramis, supposing the cheat undiscovered, led on the attack; the machines frightened the horses so that they threw their riders, or rushed with them among the enemy. But vain was the contention when the true elephants of Stabrobates came up; dreadful was the carnage. The Assyrians fled, and the life of their Queen, pierced in the arm by one of his arrows, and in the shoulder by one of his darts, was only saved by the fleetness of her horse. Palaces and Thrones of Ivory. The Scriptures contain no allusion to the elephant till the time of David, when we find mention is made of "ivory palaces." In the reign of Solomon ivory was imported by the vessels of Tharshish from India, with other productions of that country. We read of "a great throne of ivory," and afterwards of “benches and horns" of the same substance, as it formed part of the merchandise of "the proud city" of Tyre. Half a century after the death of Alexander, in the battle of Heraclea (B. C. 280), were— Cuirassiers all in steel for standing fight, Chariots, and elephants indorsed with towers It is stated in the history of the Maccabees, that in the army of Antiochus "to every elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of mail, and five hundred horsemen of the best; these were ready cn every occasion; wherever the beast was, and whithersoever he went, |