Hunters and Hunted 



owl or a hawk, and harry the unfortunate individual 

 unmercifully. 



The South American peccary, a fierce little wild pig, 

 has learned that unity is strength. Singly, the peccary 

 would be no match for some of the larger cats of the 

 South American forests. Hunting in packs, these pigs 

 can even bring fear to the heart of the powerful jaguar. 

 Travellers have related how the peccaries will drive a 

 jaguar to seek safety in some tree. Unable to reach the 

 cat in his temporary sanctuary, the pigs wait below. 

 Hunger and fatigue inevitably compel the jaguar to 

 descend, sooner or later, when he falls a victim to the 

 patient watchers below. 



The fox, really a wild dog, is imbued with certain habits 

 which seem almost cat-like. This animal never hunts in 

 company with companions, but sallies forth in the evening 

 to carry out its depredations alone. It yields to few 

 animals in sense of smell and its sight is far keener x than 

 is that of its near relatives the dog, wolf and jackal ; also, 

 being a night prowler, its pupils are oval like those of the 

 cat. Again, the fox is possessed of short legs, so that it 

 relies rather upon taking its prey unawares than upon 

 running it down. Nevertheless, when circumstances 

 render it necessary, the fox is no mean runner, as many 

 a huntsman can testify. 



Animals of the ferret family are all born hunters : stoats, 

 polecats, weasels and martens are one and all blood- 

 thirsty in the extreme. Their senses of sight, hearing 

 and touch are marvellously developed. The pine-marten 

 has been described as the " nimblest and cleverest of all 

 predatory animals which lead an arboreal life. It is a 

 thorough athlete, a true arboreal creature and an accom- 

 plished robber, scarcely inferior to the cat. It spends the 

 day calmly reposing in a safe hiding-place, such as 

 the deserted nest of a rook, dove or squirrel. At the 

 approach of night it wakes up for its murderous occupa- 

 tion. With lightning speed it runs up the trunks of the 



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