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DISAPPEARANCE OF WILD ANIMALS 311 



The disappearance of species of the wild animals 

 suggests thoughts as to the ultimate fate of the wild 

 animals individually. It is a subject on which when in 

 the forests I have often reflected. Many of the animals, 

 no doubt, fall victims to accident or are devoured by 

 the others that are beasts of prey; but the greater 

 number, I imagine, escape both accident and enemies, 

 and live to grow old, and then I think that their end 

 must be sad. Those that wander alone when they feel 

 that their vital powers are failing may seek and find 

 a shelter where they may lie concealed and die un- 

 disturbed. 



But those that move in herds will remain with the 

 rest so long as their strength enables them. Then they 

 will fall behind and be left, for among animals there 

 is but little compassion to weakness, to sickness, or to 

 age. Thus left, they will suffer : they will feel the 

 solitude, also the abandonment. Besides, they will be 

 haunted by fears. Enemies abound, and they must 

 be conscious that if discovered they now no longer 

 possess the power to resist or to escape. 



For a longer or shorter period they will thus remain ; 

 then they will lie down and not rise again. Perhaps 

 they pass calmly away ; perhaps the wolves, the jackals, 

 or the birds of prey find them and approach, and then 

 in their last hours they are tormented. 



The animal dead, its body rapidly disappears. This 

 is not surprising, for in these forests there are multitudes 

 of creatures — birds, beasts, and even insects — ready to 

 devour it. But what is curious is that not only the 

 flesh, but also the bones, appear to vanish. The bones 



