four and a half millions of bisons were killed, more than three millions having been killed for the sake of their hides alone. So reckless and wasteful was the destruction, that within a space of four acres no less than sixtyseven bodies were left to perish. At the present time it is believed that scarcely six hundred bisons are left in the whole of America.

The natural results followed. The red men, finding their staff of life taken away from them, could no longer make a living on their own lands, and therefore made forays into the domains of the white man, and consequently were still more diminished in number. Then the wolves and coyotés, which used to feed on the old, sick, or wounded bisons, began to attack the sheep and horned cattle, so that the conditions of life were entirely changed. The agents of the Smithsonian Institute, who were sent in search of specimens, were obliged to follow the animals into Montana, and from their account it is evident that in a very short time the bison will be as extinct as the great auk, the dodo, and the moa.

CHANGE we our scene to South Africa, and let us in imagination stand with Gordon Cumming on the waggon, and watch the Springboks (Antidorcos euchore) marching on their migration. Active as may be the Springboks, they have no opportunity for displaying their activity when on the march. They are closely pressed together, and can only move at a slow walk.

Springboks.

On the first occasion when Gordon Cumming saw the migration, he beheld a solid column of the animals, at least half a mile in width, moving steadily onwards for more than two hours, during which time he was spell-bound by the astonishing sight.

Food is the main object of these migrations, inasmuch as the grass patches are few and far between, and the creatures which have to be fed are beyond the power of counting.

It would at first sight appear that nothing could be less likely to feed such a multitude as the mode which is adopted by these antelopes. Yet the system is equally simple and efficacious.

When the herd arrives at pasture, it naturally follows that only the leaders can feed, as the animals are so tightly packed together that they cannot put their heads to the ground. Now, the antelopes are ruminants, and therefore when they have eaten their fill, they need to lie down and chew the cud.

This, however, is impossible, as the leaders are incessantly forced forwards by the pres sure of those behind them. They therefore, when they have eaten their fill, turn aside out of the column, and lie down while their comrades pass them, and when they have

finished the process of rumination, fall again into line at the rear. Thus, they all have their turn at feeding, the leaders always falling into the rear, and having to await their turn before they can make another meal.

The springbok seems to possess some instinctive power of discovering pasture, a trait which is turned to account by the BaKalahari tribes.

Just before the rainy season, they burn the dried-up grass of a limited district. As soon as the rain falls, a crop of sweet, fresh grass springs up luxuriantly, and is sure to be discovered by the springboks, whose flesh and fur are nearly as valuable to the natives as those of the bison to the red men.

ANOTHER remarkable gregarious ruminant is a native of Southern Africa. This is the Gnu (Connochetes gnu), an animal so singular

in form and habits, that the earlier naturalists may well be pardoned for mistaking it for a horned horse, the thick mane and long tail adding to the resemblance. It also has a long beard and a tuft of hair on the nose. The generic name Connochetes is derived from the Greek, and signifies "beard-bearing."

The name of Gnu is given to it on account of its characteristic cry. The animal plants its feet firmly on the ground, and suddenly jerking up its head, gives a sharp yelp or bark, which pierces through all other sounds, and which, when once heard, cannot be mistaken. The word gnu, if spoken, or rather jerked out sharply, bears some resemblance to the cry.

It lives in herds, and being, like most antelopes, exceedingly swift of foot, might easily avoid all enemies. But it often falls a victim to its insatiable curiosity.

Any strange object serves to attract it, and, as is shown in the illustration, it cannot

If a herd of gnus be seen at a distance, the hunter can always decoy them within easy range. All he has to do is to lie on the ground, tie a piece of rag or handkerchief to a stick, and wave it about. The gnus seem fascinated by the strange object. They prance about, and wheel off, as if intending to fly out of sight. Then they wheel round, halt, and begin to approach the object of their curiosity. Occasionally they take a fancy to perform the strangest of antics, spinning round and round, prancing violently, and kicking up their heels, their white tails whirling round as if worked by a multiplying wheel. In consequence of these grotesque antics, the Boers call the gnu by the appropriate name of "wildebeest."

If the stick and handkerchief cannot be procured, the hunter can attract the gnu by simply lying on his back and kicking his legs in the air.

The flesh of the gnu is much valued by the natives, who also prepare from it a sort of "haggis," the blood, chopped liver, and

BOTH in Asia and Africa another gregarious animal is found. It is the largest of the terrestrial mammalia, and is familiar under the name of Elephant.

That the Asiatic and African animals are two distinct species is evident enough, the general form, the teeth, and the shape of the head being essentially different. The distinction between the two is very plainly shown by a longitudinal section of the skull, such as can be seen in the museum of the College of Surgeons. In their general habits, however, both species are so similar that we may treat them together.

They are essentially gregarious animals, a solitary elephant being never seen, unless it be a "rogue," i.e. one that has been turned out of the herd, and in consequence is at war with every living thing. Rogue elephants are the terror of travellers, for, as a rule, unless the traveller can kill the elephant, the elephant will kill the traveller.

The herds are not very large, and it is thought that all the elephants of a herd are

A Swarm of Lemmings.

related to each other. These herds are nearly as nomad as the monkeys, and the presence of a herd in a certain spot is almost a proof that they will not be there on the

morrow.

Awkward as they may seem, they are wonderfully active animals, being able to ascend and descend precipitous spots which require the utmost exertions of an active Their speed too is astonishing; their long, silent strides carrying them for hours together over the country. They move by night, concealing themselves in the woods by day. It might seem difficult to conceal so huge an animal, but, in point of fact, an elephant among trees is almost invisible at three yards.

Not the least remarkable point about the elephant herds is their power of moving silently through the forest. Mr. W. T. Hornaday, chief taxidermist of the National Museum, U.S.A., has made some very interesting observations on these herds :

"I was really surprised at their sagacity

and almost military manoeuvring. We saw them deliberately,

"(1) Reconnoitre dangerous ground by sending out scouts and spies.

"(2) Communicate intelligence by signs or sign-language.

"(3) Retreat in orderly silence from a lurking danger.

"(4) March off in single file, like the jungle tribes of men.

"How different was this steady, noiseless retreat from the wild stampede which follows an open attack, in which the crashing and tearing through the jungle is at first appalling! This time the foe was in ambush when discovered, and the order signalled was,Retreat in silence and good order.'

Now we will take an example of mixed gregariousness, such as, I believe, is only to be found in South Africa.

Certain antelopes, the gnu being one of them, giraffes, ostriches, and zebras are often found associating in one large herd. The Bontebok, or Pied Antelope (Damalis pygarga), as it is often called, is mostly to be found in these mixed herds. Its own herds are small, scarcely exceeding a dozen or so in number,

but in one of these mixed assemblies a con

siderable number of these handsome antelopes can be found.

LASTLY, we come to the creatures which only herd together on certain occasions. Their best type is the Lemming (Myodes lemmus).

This very remarkable rodent, a fine specimen of which is now before me, inhabits Northern Europe, and, on some occasions, makes itself unpleasantly conspicuous.

At uncertain intervals, such as ten or

fifteen years, the lemmings suddenly swarm, literally in millions, and begin to march southwards, devouring everything eatable. They press straight onwards, allowing nothing but a perpendicular wall to stop them. Even fire has but little effect upon them, the leading lemmings being forced into it by those behind until the fire is quenched by their numbers, and the dead bodies of the slain serve as bridges over which their comrades pass.

Not only do they eat all the herbage, but the people say that cattle refuse to feed on spots on which the lemmings have trod. Sometimes they come to a river, and enter it with the same stolid indifference which characterizes all their proceedings. As long as the water is quite smooth, they can swim fairly, and will succeed in crossing. But the least ripple is said to be fatal to them.

Predacious beasts, such as wolves, foxes, wild cats, stoats, &c., accompany them, and feed luxuriously on them. So do predacious birds, such as eagles, hawks, and owls; and even the larger fish are their enemies, snapping them up as they are endeavouring to cross the rivers. Fear is utterly unknown to them, probably by reason of their want of

intellect, and although they will not go out of their way to attack any one, they entirely decline to make way for even man himself.

They move in two vast columns, one passing through Norway and the other through Sweden. The end of them is always the same; and supposing that they have escaped the beasts, birds, and fishes, and have surmounted the perils of fire and water, they are forced into the sea and perish there. Those which take the route through Norway are forced into the Skager-rack and Kattegat; while those which pass through Sweden lose their lives in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic. Then the country is freed from them, and the inhabitants may be tolerably sure that at least ten years must elapse before the lemmings can increase sufficiently to make up for the terrible losses which their migration has cost them.

There is one little set-off against the damage which is done by the lemmings. They are very good to eat, and lemming cooked like quail and served on toast, is considered to be quite a dainty. They are very small to do so much damage, being scarcely six inches in length.

CHURCH PORCH-MERAN

66

RINCE Charles Theodore, Duke of Bavaria, is the son and heir of the traveller and author, Maximilian, who, the head of a distinct royal line in Bavaria, bears the title, Herzog in Bayern," and of Ludovica, youngest daughter of King Maximilian Joseph, first King of Bavaria. He was born August 9, 1839, and married, at Dresden, in 1865, the pious Princess Sophia, daughter of the learned scholar, King John of Saxony. Left a widower in March, 1867, with an only child, a little girl, he married, seven years later, the Princess Mary Josepha, Duchess of Braganza, Infanta of Portugal, the third of Don Miguel's gifted daughters.

The prevention and cure of disease have from an early age possessed a peculiar fascination for his Royal Highness, who is pre

eminently fitted by nature to pursue this branch of science. As soon therefore as he could free himself from his military duties, he regularly studied and worked in a hospital. He was at first silently and persistently opposed and obstructed by members of the medical staff, until finally his indomitable tenacity and skill compelled them to acknowledge him no dilettante but an adept in scientific and practical medicine and surgery.

By degrees he devoted his energies to the service of the blind; and a glance at the condition of the afflicted race makes us recognise the importance of this noble purpose.

Only a minute proportion of the one million four hundred thousand totally blind people, who, it is estimated, inhabit the globe, can be benefited by the eighty-two schools or asylums which have sprung into existence since 1784. Most blind children belong to the lower class, and often owe their calamity to neglect at their birth or in infancy; and Abbé Gridel, at the International Congress