158 NATURAL DEATH IN THE ANIMAL WORLD 



animal epidemics. During their prevalence the absence 

 of the animal dead is no longer marked. On the con- 

 trary, the bodies are in evidence. Among the multi- 

 tude of examples collected by Mr. George Fleming in 

 his work on c Animal Plagues ' are eighty-six epidemics 

 affecting wild quadrupeds and birds, and twenty- seven 

 affecting fish. Among the former nearly every wild 

 species in Europe is mentioned, and some in the New 

 World, including red-deer, reindeer, wolves, foxes, 

 pelicans, bears, chamois, hares, wild hogs, rabbits, rats, 

 wild - ducks, rooks, gaurs, and monkeys. Disorders 

 usually somewhat rare and sporadic are capable of 

 developing into epidemics and claiming victims whole- 

 sale. Perhaps one of the most curious instances is 

 that of rabies among foxes. This prevailed on the 

 Continent during the years 1830 to 1838. In the 

 Canton of the Vaud in Switzerland the bodies of 

 the dead foxes were often picked up and examined, and 

 it was thought that they were suffering from malignant 

 quinsy ; but as they entered villages and bit men, dogs, 

 and swine, which afterwards died from rabies, there was 

 no doubt as to the nature of the malady. In Wurtemburg 

 and Baden the fox-rabies became so serious that regular 

 hunts were organized until the animals were killed off, 

 like the dogs of Lima under similar conditions. The 

 effect of epidemics among animals is now so well known 

 that we have dwelt in these remarks mainly on the less 



