STRANGE ANIMALS AND THEIR WAYS. 369 



her fast to the ground. Her rapid, chattering cry brought 

 one of the ladies to her rescue. The tail was very badly 

 hurt. Ever after, between Coati and Oushie a respectful 

 distance was maintained. „ „ , T , , 



Rev. Samuel Lockwood. 



JEMMY. 



1. As company for the monkeys and myself, for many 

 years past I have had a "Jemmy." All my Suricates I 

 call "Jemmys." The Latin name is Suricata Zenick. 

 Jemmy is a very pretty little beast, somewhat like a small 

 mongoose or a very large rat. His head is as like the head 

 of a hedgehog as can be imagined. His color is light 

 brown, with darker stripes down the sides. He is an Afri- 

 can animal, and lives in burrows on the plains, whence he 

 is sometimes called the African prairie-dog, or the tneer- 

 catze. Captain Adams tells me that, when in South 

 Africa, he has frequently come across a camp of Jemmys. 

 The plain will appear covered with them, sitting up mo- 

 tionless like so many ninepins ; at the least notice, they 

 simultaneously and in an instant disappear down their 

 holes. 



2. I would like now to say something of the habits of 

 this pretty little fellow. Jemmy the Third (for I have 

 previously had two Jemmys) was allowed the free range of 

 the whole house. He was full of curiosity and restlessness, 

 running continually from one room to another. He very 

 seldom walked ; his pace, on the contrary, was a short 

 gallop, or rather canter. When on the move he always 

 gave tongue, like a hound on a scent. It is impossible to 

 describe his melodious cry in words. When handled and 

 petted he would utter a sharp bark, not unlike that of a 

 dog ; and, if in a very good humor, I could, by imitating 



