July 30, 1698- 1 
FOREST ANO STREAM. 
for I did not shoot, although my impression is that we 
looked at one another for a minute or two." 
In the lakes and streams of Florida are floating masses 
of tangled vegetation, and just as the sea otter rests and 
floats on the narcocystus of Asiatic seas, so does the 
Florida otter ride and float on the matted beds of lily- 
pads and hyacinths of Florida waters. 
"Sliding" is one of the peculiar characteristics of the 
habits of the otter. When the otters slide is the time 
when the Everglade trapper is on the alert, for this 
is the mating season, the time when the animal is bolder 
and more sportive, and the time too when the fur is 
at its prime. The}' never slide at any other time of 
•the year. The sliding is apparently for sport, the "slide" 
becoming as smooth as glass by the constant use, The 
otter makes his home on a watercourse whose grassy 
borders reach back and extend over a low marshy 
ground, which is thickly dotted with tall lilies, brakes 
and cypress trees. Here the female builds her nest, so 
cunningly devised that an old trapper might pass it by 
many times without any suspicion of its location. A hunt- 
er who captured a nest of three young otters describes it 
as being built in the shape of an Indian shack, made ( f 
tall marsh lilies, and so dextrously woven and clos d 
at the top as completely to conceal the occupants within. 
The inside of the nest was lined with leaves and grasses, 
from which snug retreat the baby otters were taken, they 
to partake of a life of civilization and its consequent 
sorrows, the mother to go throimh a period of mourn- 
ing for the loss of her young. 
The opportunity to purchase a second pair of these 
wild and timid little creatures was presented, and with 
the thought that they might be consigned to a worse 
captivity we bought them and turned them loose with 
the first captives. It was a delight to see the affectionate 
greeting they received— all immediately making friends, 
biting and licking each other in the most affectionate 
manner. The imprisonment for a day or two was pain- 
ful, but at the end of that time they accepted their 
captivity with as much complacency as two kittens, eat- 
ing out of the same pan with the older otters. They 
teased the cat, who considered it beneath her dignity to 
rollick with an uncivilized creature, and with a blow from 
her paw they would scamper off, but the next moment 
would find them teasing and chasing the setter pup. 
During the first day of their captivity, while yet feeling 
a mute rebellion in the imprisonment, one of the pan- 
escaped from the wire netted inclosure and hid himself 
in a keg. Being discovered suddenly, and feeling him- 
self powerless to retreat, he looked up with a pleading, 
pitiful expression, and as we peered still closer into his 
face he gave one long cry, so human in its sound, so like 
the wail of a frightened infant, as to cause every fiber of 
our nature to pulse with tenderest pity for the little 
captive. 
The jealousy in the nature of these wild animals was 
always apparent when there was the slightest provo- 
cation for it. With each other, it was as with two gen- 
erous-hearted children, not an objection to the one 
being petted, but the manifest desire, "love me too." 
When one was being fondled, with a quickness that was 
surprising came the coaxing and pleading from the 
other for a similar attention. Were the cat or the dog to 
receive too much consideration, very soon came a very 
different reminder from the sharp little otter teeth that 
the act was objectionable. Their devotion to each other 
READY FOR BREAKFAST. 
was indeed touching. When the one received a whipping 
for some offense the mate sat by crying pitifully, appar- 
ently much more affected than the culprit who was 
receiving the punishment. 
With reference to these captive otters the question 
has been frequently asked: Have they reasoning capac- 
ity? Yes, not of the same character as the dog, but 
they are guided by a keen, quick, artful perception. A 
dry crust of bread will be carried to the water and 
softened; a piece of meat accidentally dropped in the 
sand is quickly washed and carried to a grassy plot be- 
fore eating. 
One of the most pleasing recognitions of their in- 
telligence is observed in the home coming of their 
owner. It is the custom of the pet cranes, who occupy 
the large yard, to welcome him with a loud whooping 
call, at which signal and before he is in view of the ot- 
ters they fairly leap and tumble over each other in their 
efforts to reach the south end of the inclosure, the near- 
est point to the master's entrance to the yard, and a 
place they never frequent except at such a time. They 
quickly learned that after the greeting of the birds their 
owner must soon appear.* 
The careful study of the otter has shown what marked 
individuality he possesses, exhibiting characteristics 
as diverse as are observed in a group of children. A 
picture, quaint and always pleasing, may be witnessed 
many times during the day. The male, large otter that 
lie is, continues his baby habit of sucking his paw — the 
female has long since outgrown the habit. Getting into 
his tub and in a half standing posture, with his fore- 
body leaning on the edge of the basin, with head resting 
on his right paw, he sucks the left with an utter disre- 
gard of surroundings. Always by his side, but outside 
the tub, pensively sits his mate, with her comical little 
face resting against the netting, waiting until her liege 
lord has had his nap. 
One of the most touching scenes, and one that must 
ever send a dull thud through the heart of the writer 
as the recollection of it recurs, was the death scene of 
little Juliet. Was the name prophetic when the happy 
little pair were christened Romeo and Juliet? How 
quaint they were as they played around the yard, as 
happy and as joyous as two kittens. "Where thou goest 
A HAPPY FAMILY. 
Young Otters, Setter Pup and Cranes. 
I will go," was their watchword. A night came, how- 
ever, when the gentler one took sick and died. The 
living one soon realized that something wrong had hap- 
pened, and tried to arouse the mate by caressing and 
licking the body. Finding this of no avail, he left the 
bed and no amount of coaxing would induce him to 
return to it. All day long following the death of little 
Juliet the male called and cried, and when night came 
his sorrow grew intense. The scene was a simple one — 
a tropical yard, dimly shadowed, and a half-grown otter 
in the foreground — nothing more; but the pathos in that 
"chirp, chirp," as he hunted for the mate that never 
would answer, was an exquisite pain to the bystanders. 
Strong men on "the battlefield can witness the death 
of a comrade with a tearless eye, but there is a peculiar 
pathos attending the grief of a dumb creature. As the 
little otter silently wandered from one side of the wire- 
netted fence to the other, every fiber of his little body 
was tense with earnest listening. Standing erect, with 
his forepaws holding on to the netting, he would peer 
out into the night, startled at every quiver of a leaf. 
Moving a few steps, as if bewildered, he would seek the 
open space in the yard, and rising on his hindlegs listen 
with a passionate earnestness and with an expression 
so like humanity on his face that to those who watched 
the moment was one of intense grief. Like a discordant 
note came the song of the mockingbird as he mimicked 
the crying otter. The agony of that moment was tragi- 
cal, and the memory of it too sad to dwell upon, 
Every effort was made to interest the sad little creat- 
ure, but for days he seemed to have only one absorbing 
thought. The other' pair would come to him and caress 
him, as was their usual fashion, inviting a roll and a 
tumble. He would turn his little black eyes from one 
to the other with a pitiful look of anguish, and quietly 
walk away. He did not repel; he simply refused to be 
comforted. When exhausted he sought some secluded 
spot, refusing to sleep with his. playfellows, as had been 
his custom before the death of the mate, when the four 
cuddled in one nest. To follow him or attempt any 
kindness was indeed a hollow mockery and only tended 
to increase his sorrow. With a heart yearning for the 
sorrowing little creature, the irresistible impulse was 
to divert him; in short, it seemed impossible to re- 
main away from him. Being approached as he crouched 
in some corner he would raise his head, and with a pity- 
ing cry, like some human creature, seemed to plead to be 
let alone with his sorrow. Around his little eyes and 
running down his face were tears — the tears of a dumb 
creature for his mate. 
The study of the least of God's creatures must open a 
window into the ^sphere of spiritual sympathy, teaching 
pity and gentleness for all living things. 
Minnie Moore- Willson. 
Kissimmee, Florida. 
* See "Florida Pet Cranes ' in issue of July 16. 
The University of the State of New York has just issued as 
Museum Bulletin 20 a very interesting and practical monograph 
on the elm-leaf beetle, by E. P. Felt, acting State entomologist. 
The bulletin treats of the ravages, life history and enemies of 
this destructive beetle, and gives the best methods of protecting 
the trees. It is hoped that this bulletin will have a wide distri- 
bution among our citizens, who, acting on the valuable suggestions 
given, may thus save many of the trees at present threatened with 
destruction. The bulletin will be sent postpaid to any address by 
the University of the State of New York, Albany, on receipt of 
5 cents. 
East African Mammals. 
BY D. G, ELLIOT, F.R.S.K. 
{Continued from j>age 444.) 
The Leopard (Fe/is /tardus, Linn), Native In ame. Shabel 
Leopards are pretty well distributed all over Somali 
land, and are the most dangerous of all its wild animal'; 
A leopard is very bold and fearless, and does not hesi- 
tate to enter a zareba or village, and seize upon any 
man or beast he can conveniently reach. They do not 
appear to attack camels, and these animals pay no at- 
tention to "a leopard even it crawling in their midst, 
while a lion's roar will cause them to stampede. 
Leopards are wonderfully agile and very powerful con- 
sidering their size; for, like the lion, the Somali leopard 
is smaller than Ins brethren from other places. I have 
known one of these beasts to take a carcass (entire) 
of a spotted hyena, full grown, and carry it up a tree 
and deposit it in a fork 15ft. from the ground. The 
wonder was not only how it was possible for him to 
carry such a heavy mass up the tree, but how he could 
even lift it from the ground. But the fact that he did 
it was evident, for the carcass was up the tree, and the 
sand beneath was tracked all over by the leopard's feet. 
Although smaller than the usual size of leopards from 
other localities, there is no other difference, and it is 
absurd to make even separate races eitiier of the lion or 
leopard found in Somali-land. I went all over this 
question years ago with ample material at my com- 
mand, and there is no character existing upon which 
more than one species can be established. Thickness 
of coat and length of hair vary with the climate; size 
is no criterion, for it is not the same even in members 
of one family, while color is equally unreliable, it often 
depending on individual condition. Nor is there any 
osteological character to be found upon which more 
than one species can be based. No two skulls are ex- 
actly alike, but while they have a general structure and 
shape, there is endless individual variation. Leopards 
make their dens in caves in the sides of high rocky 
cliffs, and their hoarse cough can often be heard during 
the day. Like all cats they prefer to commit their 
depredations at night, although on several occasions we 
met them hunting in the daytime. They doubtless kill 
many of the young of various species of antelope and 
of the wart hog, for leopards are very fond of pork. 
We surprised one just at dusk stalking a herd of oryx, 
among which were a number of young ones about half- 
grown, and on observing us he made the best time 
through the bush of any animal we met with in the 
country. His bounds were prodigious, and as he had 
a good start we could not overtake him on our horses 
before he managed to disappear in the bush. Many 
sheep and goats of the natives are carried away by this 
bold robber, and it is said young children also are killed 
bv it when it steals into the villages and even huts at 
night. 
The Cheetah (Cynailurus juhatus, Schreib). Native Name, 
Shabel, 
The natives do not seem to have two names for the 
leopard and cheetah, although I think they recognize 
them as distinct species. The young are so much alike 
that it is not to be wondered that they consider them 
all the same, and some young cheetahs we had alive 
were considered by all my men to be only the ordinary 
leopards. We never met with this species, except per- 
haps on one occasion, in Ogaden, where an animal 
was seen running at a considerable .distance from us, ■ 
and was first thought to be a wild dog (Lycaon pictus), 
but afterward we came to the conclusion that it must 
have been a cheetah. I bought some fine skins from 
the natives, some of which were said to have been killed 
■ -A 
WAITING FOR THEIR BAT II. 
in the Golis range, not many miles from Berbera. The 
skins I obtained were of the usual style in color and 
markings, and of course being in a very hot country 
the coats were rather thin, which would not be the case 
if the animals inhabited elevated districts with cold 
temperature, as witness the so-called Felis lama (Sclater), 
which, though dwelling in South Africa, possesses a 
heavy coat to protect it from the cold of the lofty 
country it inhabits. The same effect upon the quality 
of the coat' produced by a low temperature is seen in 
the tigers and leopards from the Amur and various other 
high elevations in China, etc., where the fur becomes 
so long and thick as to almost woolly. I think the 
cheetah is rather scarce in Somali-land, although ' the 
young are not infrequently kept alive by the natives 
for sale to the caravans passing through their territories 
to the coast. 
Spotted Hyena {Hyana crocuta,.'Ex\\), 
Wardba. 
Native. Name, 
The spotted hyena was met with everywhere we 
traveled, except in the wild ass country to the west of 
