74 



WILD NEIGHBORS 



where he lies flat down within view of a herd of 

 guanacos that are feeding towards him, and hold- 

 ing up the end of his tail (which is nearly black) 

 lets it tremble there. It is sure to attract the at- 

 tention of the animals, who are certain to approach, 

 led by curiosity, near enough to give the big cat a 

 certain capture of one if not more of their number. 



The tails of creatures that swim or fly perform 

 a very important service in these methods of loco- 

 motion; while in many cases this is a helpful or 

 even indispensable member in progression upon 

 land. The tremendous leaps of the minute skip- 

 jack beetles, and of the agile sand-fleas, are made 

 by springing from the bent hinder parts of their 

 body, and not by leg-force, as in the cases of the 

 grasshopper and true fleas. Certain fishes, like 

 the file-fish, are accustomed to poise themselves 

 upon their tails, almost motionless, for long peri- 

 ods, when it is well-nigh impossible to distinguish 

 one of them from the ribbons of the eel-grass in 

 the midst of which they dwell ; while the eels and 

 many serpents are able to stand erect upon almost 

 the very tip of the tail, or to hang thereby, and 

 some can even spring off from it, if we may be- 

 lieve the statement of Professor Owen, though I 

 do not know of any snake quite so acrobatic. 



It is related in the older books of natural history 

 that the kangaroo sits, when reared up, upon his 

 massive tail and strong hind limbs, as upon a tri- 

 pod ; and that it is by the elastic force of the tail 



