Animals Asleep

1901

The Attitudes Some of Them Assume During Slumber

The chimpanzee, as far as I have been able to ascertain, never sleeps upon its back, its favorite position being on its side, with one arm under its head. In this respect it resembles children of from 4 to 10 years of age. The only gorilla which I have had an opportunity of observing also apparently preferred this attitude, but occasionally seemed to sleep comfortably in a crouching position, with its head bowed down between its knees. This latter attitude appears to be the one adopted by nearly all the lower monkeys.

When turned out at pasture, all horses, except those which are crippled by disease or injury, lie down at night with their legs folded beneath their bodies. Some of the short limbed and thick jointed animals, such as the elephant, hippopotamus and rhinoceros, find a difficulty in bending their legs under them after the manner of their more slender kindred. Hence they sleep upon their sides in a pig-like attitude.

Bears, as far as I have been able to observe, have no characteristic sleeping attitude, for you see them lying in all sorts of grotesque positions, as if they found one quite as comfortable as another. Indeed, a well favored bear. covered with a good layer of fat and a thick coat of fur, may be said to carry his bed about with him, and any part of his skin will serve either for mattress or coverlet, as occasion arises. Nevertheless, the bear, when sound asleep, tends to curl himself up with his nose and paws inward, and this is probably the attitude which in cold climates he adopts when hibernating in his den during the winter season.

Kangaroos also appear to be quite indifferent as to the position of their bodies during sleep. Any sunny afternoon at the zoological gardens you may see them sprawling on the straw in all imaginable attitudes. The only things they seem to demand in order to be perfectly comfortable are reasonable warmth and plenty of elbow room. — Dr. Louis Robinson in Pearson's Magazine.

Roosevelt Had Narrow Escape

A Large Rhinoceros was Almost Upon Him.

MANY ANIMALS KILLED

The Rhino Made the Forty-Fifth Animal that has Fallen Under their Accurate Aim.

NAIROBI, British East Africa, May 10.—Colonel Theodore Roosevelt today undoubtedly owes his life to the coolness and unerring aim which the combination yesterday brought to death a large bull rhinoceros that was furiously charging upon him.

Roosevelt fired a bullet into the brain of the rhinoceros when it was but 14 paces from him and rushing forward like a wild engine. The bullet was fatal, but so fierce was the rush of the rhino that it plunged on almost to the feet of the Colonel before falling dead.

The rhino made the 45th animal that has been killed by Roosevelt and Kermit.

--Warren Evening Mirror, Warren, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1909, page 1.