WHAT IS AN AMPHIBIOUS ANIMAL? 



angry was out of the question, as the owner insisted upon 

 it that it was amphibious, and in proof of his assertion 

 pointed out that it was up to its middle in water, and 

 that it passed as much of its time in as out of water. 

 With these facts, it was useless to offer any further argu- 

 ment or opposition; the owner certainly had the best of it. 

 But the result always acted as a caution not too readily to 

 rush off to see a new and unknown amphibious animal. 



How often do we find creatures that have never been 

 suspected of frequenting water quite at home in that 

 element. Looking at the great South American ant-eater 

 {Myrmecophaga jubata), a more unlikely beast never was 

 seen ; yet into the river he goes, and washes, and swims, 

 and plays about for hours. Who would expect any of the 

 family of bats to be addicted to aquatic life ? Yet some 

 species of this family have been met with, both in Africa 

 and America, that are semi-aquatic. In the former country 

 they feed on shrimps, and in the latter upon fish, which 

 they catch in their sharp-hooked claws. 



How few animals are as helpless as man, when for the 

 first time immersed in water ! Most wild animals swim, 

 and that without teaching or learning of any kind. Man 

 raises his arms in despair, sinks to the bottom helpless, 

 overpowered and rendered incapable of offering that kind 

 of resistance exhibited under the same circumstances by 

 most of the lower animals. 



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