The Living Animals of the World, Volume I: Mammals

of the World11 The Living Animals

surroundings pictorially. Photography applied to the illustration of the life of beasts, birds, fishes, insects, corals, and plants is at once the most attractive and the most correct form of illustration. In the following pages it will be used on a scale never equalled in any previous publication. Without straining words, it may be said that the subjects photographed have been obtained from every part of the world, many of them from the most distant islands of the Southern Ocean, the great barrier reef of Australia, the New Zealand hills, the Indian jungle, the South African veldt, and the rivers of British Columbia. Photographs of swimming fish, the flying bird, and of the leaping salmon will be reproduced as accurately as those of the large carnivora or the giant ungulates. In accordance with the example now being set by the Museum of Natural History, the living breeds of domesticated animals will also find a place. The time and expenditure employed in illustration will be equalled by the attention given to the descriptive portion of the work. The Editor

will have the assistance of specialists, eminent alike in the world of science and practical discovery. Mr. F. C. Selous, for example, will deal with the African Lion and the Elephants, and other sportsmen with the big game of the Dark Continent. Mr. W. Saville-Kent, the author of " The Great Barrier Reef of Australia," will treat of the Marsupials of Australia and the Reptilia; Sir Herbert Maxwell will write on the Salmonidae, and Mr. F. Gr. Aflalo on the Whales and other Cetacea of the deep seas; while Mr. R. Lydekker, Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, Mr. W. F. Kirby, and other specialists have kindly agreed to supervise the work. Where possible the

By permission oj Herr Umlauff] {Hamburg. illustrations will show the crea- SKELETONS OF MAN AND GORILLA.

This photograph shows the remarkable similarity in the structure of the human frame tures in their natural surround- (left) and that of the gorilla (right). This gorilla happened to be a particularly large specimen; the man was of ordinary height. ings, and in all cases the

Photo ly Q. Watmoitgh Webster & Son] [Chester. SEA-SWALLOWS. From their long wings, forked tail, and flight, the Terns are popularly called Sea-swallows.

photographic portraits of the animals will, by the nature of things, present true and living pictures, in place of the often curiously incorrect and distorted objects, the product of illustrators' fancy rather than the record of facts, not infrequently seen in previous illustrated natural histories. It is possible that while these pages are in the press discoveries of new animals may be made, or living representatives of creatures supposed to be extinct may be discovered.* One band of explorers is engaged in seeking on the plains of South America for recent remains and possible survivors of the giant ground-sloths. Another expedition is engaged, in the island of Java, in an even is the more interesting quest. Great as difference between even the lowest human

Photo by Ottomar Antchutz] [Berlin.

AFRICAN LEOPARD.

An example of tlitt black-spotted type of coloration BO prevalent in Garni vora.

intelligence and the mind of the man-like apes, the likeness both in form and action of the latter to man has never failed to suggest that there may have existed, or may even still exist, a higher anthropoid ape nearer to the human being than those now known. The idea has taken shape in the term " the missing link." The phrase is misleading in itself. Such a creature would be no more a link in the descent of man than one imperfectly developed limb of a tree is a link between the other branches and the stem. But it was always possible that we might find another branch which had attained a higher type than those terminating in the gorilla or chimpanzee. Recent search seems EAST AFRICAN GIRAFFE. to have discovered the remains of such a This photograph was taken in the wilds of Africa by Lord Delamere, and shows the animal at home. The tree Is a mimosa, on the top shoots of creature. which the giraffe habitually feeds.

• Since this was in type, Sir Harry Johnston has reported the existence in the Congo forest, on the borders of Uganda, of a large unknown type of ruminant, the Akapi of the natives.

Photo by W. Savilie-Kent, F.Z.S.} [Oroydon. FLYING-FOX. This bat, which is a native of Australia (where it was photographed), is commonly called the Flying-fox. Great flocks set out at sunset from the forest to feed upon the indigenous fruits, such as that of the native fig.

In the island of Java, near one of the homes of the man-like apes of to-day, a naturalist, M. Dubois, employed by the Dutch Government, excavated some fossil-bearing gravels on a river called the Solo. These gravels belong to a period when civilised man, at any rate, did not exist. In them he found a great quantity of bones of mammals and of prehistoric crocodiles. There were no perfect skeletons, and it was fairly plain that the bodies of the creatures had been floated down the river, and there pulled to pieces by the crocodiles, just as they are in India to-day. In this place, lying within a distance of about fifteen yards from each other, he made an extraordinary discovery of animal remains. This was no less than the top of the skull of a creature much higher in development than the chimpanzee or gorilla, but lower than the lowest type of human skull. Near Photoby P. G.Ajiaio,F.z.s. it were also found two of the teeth and DOLPHINS. . This photograph was taken in rmd-ocean, and show, a couple of dolpnms a ship across the Atlantic Olie OI the bones OI the thigh. Ihe tlllgn following

bone resembles very nearly that of a man, though Dr. Virchow, whom Englishmen remember in connection with the fatal illness of the German Emperor Frederick, considered it did not differ from that of one of the gibbons. The inference is that the creature walked upright; and this fact is recorded in its scientific name. As regards the skull, some specialists in anthropology said Photo ly Frutdti Alinari] [Florence.

A HAPPY FAMILY.

that it was that of a large ape, Hyrena, tiger, and lions living in amity a remarkable proof of their tamer's power. In at same park Hamburg, belonging to Herr Hagenbeck, are also bears, dogs, leopards, andof a kind of gibbon (a long- the loose all together. pumas, armed, upright-walking ape, described later), of a "higher anthropoid ape," and of a low type of man. Finally, Dr. Cunningham, the able secretary of the Royal Irish Zoological Society, said it resembled that of a " microcephalous idiot." It is rather strange if the remains of the first and only man ,,__.-,- found in the Lower Pleistocene should happen to be those of a microcephalous idiot, for out of many millions of men born there are perhaps only one or two of this type. Compared with the head of any of the living apes, it is very large. Its brain-holding power is about five to three compared with the skull of a gorilla, and two to One compared with that of a chimpanzee. There is a tradition in Sumatra that man-like apes exist, of a higher character than the orang-utan. Pending the discovery

is of more remains, the following extract worth quoting, as giving shape to current ideas about such creatures both here and among the Malays. They take form in a very curious and interesting book, called " The Prison of Weltevreden," written by Walter M. Gibson in the middle of the last ELEPHANTS. century. His story is that he was kept in" This is another of Lord Delameres East African photographs, and shows a couple of wild elephants in the open. prison at Weltevreden, in Java, by the Dutch,

Introduction vii

after leading a life of adventure and enquiry among the islands of the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean; that he came in his own small vessel to the Malay Archipelago, and spent some time in the interior of Sumatra, where he saw apparent evidences of semi-human beings. He saw the orang-utans in their native forest, and noted that they were covered with red hair, and was surprised at the slowness of their movements. Among some men engaged in building a stable for the raja, he saw " a dark form, tall as a middle-sized man, covered with hair, that looked soft and flowing; the arms, hands, legs, and feet seemed well formed, like the Malays'; the body was straight, and easily bore, on the By permission of the Son. Walter Rothschild] [Tring. right shoulder, the yoke of two heavy GIANT TORTOISE. This photograph of Mr. Walter Rothschild riding on one of his huge panniers filled with material for the build- tortoises gives a good idea of the relative sizes of one of the " giant tortoises" and a human being. ing which was going on." Gibson says that " the eyes were clearer, the nose fuller, and the lips thinner than those of the common

[Florence. Photo by Fratelli Alinari]

A GROUP OP CROCODILJANS.

A wonder of modern animal-training. The photograph shows a number of living crocodilians with their trainer. They have been on exhibition in Florence for some years past, and are still to be seen there.

Malay, but the mouth was wide, the lips protruding, and a chin formed no part of its hairy face; yet it was pleasantly human in expression," much more so than the dirty, mottle-faced coolies and lascars ac- he had seen. We quote the count, as showing, if true, that Gibson saw an anthropoid ape taught to work. It may be a mere coincidence, but it is nevertheless somewhat remarkable that the two great black man-like apes, the chimpanzee and the gorilla, inhabit the same continent as some of the blackest races of mankind, while the red orangutan is found in countries where the yellow-skinned Malay races of man are indigenous.

SOMALI ZEBRAS. The special thanks of the Editor and This is a photograph of a group of zebras taken in Africa by Lord Delamere, and gives Publishers are due to a great many some idea of the surrounding country, where they live in happy freedom. naturalists and, zoologists for the valuable help they have given to, and the interest they have taken in, this work while it has been in preparation. No doubt, before the complete work is published, a :great many more names will be added to the list, but meanwhile grateful acknowledgment should be made to the following Her Grace the Duchess of Bedford, who has kindly allowed many of her fine photographs to be reproduced in these pages; the Hon. Walter Rothschild, M.P., for the splendid collection of photographs taken especially for him in all parts of the world; Lord Delamere, for several unique photographs taken with a telephoto lens during his celebrated expedition to Africa; Major Nott, F.Z.S., for the use of his scientific series of animal jjhotographs; Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, of Washington, for many photographs of fish and other animals in their natural surroundings; Mr. W. Savllle- Kent, F.Z.S., F.L.S., for the photographs taken by him while in Australia,; Mr. Lewis Medland, F.Z.S.,for the use of his singularly complete set of animal photographs; Herr Carl Hagenbeck, of Hamburg, for permission to use his photographs of some extremely rare specimens of animals which from time to time have found a temporary home at his wonderful Thierpark; the Trustees of the British Museum, for permission to photograph some of their animals; Professor E. Ray Lankester, Director of the Natural History Branch of the British Museum; and the Zoological Society, for permission to photograph some of the animals. And also to Herr Ottomar Anschiltz, of Berlin; Messrs. Bond 4* Graver, of the Scholastic Photographic Co.; Signor Allnari, of Florence; Messrs. Kerry $ Co. and Mr. Henry King, of Sydney; Mr. [ Washington. Charle* Knight; Mr. J. W. McLdlan; Messrs. Charles Photo ly Dr. R. W. Shufeldt] and William Reid; Messrs. A. S. Rudland $ Sons; SUN-FISH. and Messrs. York fy Sons, for permission to reproduce This photograph was taken through the water by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, who their photographs. has made a speciality oi this kind of photography.