THK MEDI^VAI, NATURALIST. 233 



fence of self or kind, and never as a precautionary meas- 

 ure, as some of our would be naturalists teach. 



The deer fights the snake, it is true, but only in de- 

 fence, but that is by pawing, and if a venomous reptile, 

 very cautiously, but savagely and surely. The deer, in 

 the south-west, can "perform the springing act," but it 

 is only in rare instances, and then against snakes that coil 

 for the purpose of striking and defending. It is during 

 this process that the deer, taking the snake at a disadvan- 

 tage, that the spring and fall are made, as indicated. Do 

 not believe that a deer ever thus jumps onto a rattlesnake 

 after the coiling has been completed. This animal hasn't 

 the "horse-sense" of most men, but it has much more 

 than some. 



You have heard and read many marvellous stories about 

 the elephant, some of them true, others not so. The good, 

 old, credulous mediaeval naturalists gave the sanction of 

 their authority to the origin of most of these ' ' facts ' ' and 

 careless-thoughted people in modern days accept them. 

 lyCt's see what our English author, de Thaun says : " The 

 elephant is a beast of understanding, goat shaped, huge 

 of bulk and has teeth of ivory. It has no knee-joint, and 

 so powerful and stout is the beast that it can carry a castle 

 on its back. Because it cannot bend its legs, it will not 

 lie down to sleep, as it would be unable to rise again. 

 When it wants to sleep it rests its back against a wall or 

 bank or tree and rests in this posture." The author fur- 

 ther tells us that thus situated the elephant is in danger, 

 for the hunter, finding the sleeping mass, quietly under- 

 mines the wall or weakens the support, and the heavy 

 beast pushes over its treacherous support, falls on its side 

 and thus becomes an easy captive, whereupon the captors 

 may secure the monster with cords and thongs. Dean 

 Swift must have had something of this sort in his mind 

 when he had Gulliver captured by the lyilliputians. 



De Thaun treats extensively of sea life as also of orni- 



