MUNGO. 47 



suffering. Two surgeons attended to the case, and 

 whilst under chloroform the little animal was 

 relieved of the injured paw, and must have been 

 remarkably well treated, for I was soon informed 

 that Mungo was doing well and would take 

 some " bird " for his dinner ! In about a fort- 

 night he was brought home and looked very 

 pitiful, limping about on three legs. It was 

 long; before I could become accustomed to see 



o 



him thus, but so well did the wound heal that 

 now the limp can hardly be observed, and the 

 little creature is as merry as ever, scampering 

 about and playing with his own tail as lively as 

 any kitten. 



It has been an interest to me to make a study 

 of the character of my mongoose, for a wild 

 creature rendered perfectly tame by unvarying 

 kind treatment gives one an excellent opportunity 

 of observing the real nature of the animal. 



I fear I must own that Mungo is absolutely 

 selfish, his one idea is to enjoy perfect liberty and 

 have his own way in everything. After four years' 

 petting he knows me well as his friend and 

 purveyor, but he has not an atom ot affection ; 



