ENEMIES IN BRITAIN 



defies the attacks of the animal world. Neither man nor 

 elephant can live comfortably in the thick jungles of 

 West Africa and the great forests of Brazil. Nor can 

 either man or elephant utilize great tracts of country in 

 Central Africa which are covered by the Elephant Grass. 



For, perhaps, four or five hours the weary caravan plods 

 on through a sort of burrow, two feet wide, made in this 

 gigantic grass. The stems are ten feet or more in height, 

 and nearly meet overhead. There is nothing whatever to be 

 seen except the narrow path. The atmosphere is stifling and 

 hot. To cut a new road a few hundred yards long through 

 it involves hours of labour. It is only when there has been 

 a long drought that it is possible to set fire to the Elephant 

 Grass, and then for a very short time the young growing 

 shoots can be grazed. But no cattle can break through when 

 it is fully grown. 



The very exuberance of vegetation in such cases prevents 

 any harm. 



Perhaps it is best to show how, even in Great Britain, all 

 plants have many dangerous foes. The roots of trees are 

 nibbled by mice, voles, and sometimes by swine. The bark 

 is injured by cattle, roedeer, reddeer, fallowdeer, who 

 tear the bark with their horns, and especially by rabbits 

 and hares. The leaves are eaten by the same animals and 

 also by horses, goats, sheep, etc. The young buds are 

 attacked by squirrels, who also break off" the leading shoots 

 of certain firs when they happen to be in a playful mood. 



But it is in cultivated lands and in open, rather dry and 

 arid country that one finds the most interesting weapons in 

 the fights between plant and animal. It is in such places 

 that some of the most beautiful and useful creatures have 

 their home. The horse, ass, camel, goat, and sheep probably 



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