he cubs, and killed two of them in
a moment.

The whole attack was so quick and unexpected that Stratford had only
just time to save the life of the third cub. Since that time she has
been carefully watched, for when once a lion or a tiger has broken
through a cage it is apt to repeat the operation.

"Bessy the Second" is restless, morose and suspicious, and if any of the
animals make a sudden movement, she starts up, stares at them through
the bars, and often sets up a series of roars, which have the effect of
causing every lion and tiger in the place to roar for sympathy, so that
the noise is deafening.

STORIES OF DUMB CREATURES.

--Says a naturalist: "We came to a large piece of timber, and while
passing through it, I had my first experience with the honey-bird of
South Africa. This curious little bird is, in size and plumage, about
like an English sparrow, and gets his name from the fact that the little
fellow, who is very fond of honey, being unable to obtain it for
himself, will lead men to the places where the wild bees have hidden
their stores of rich, wild honey. Whenever this bird sees a man, he will
fly close to him, hovering around, uttering a twittering sound; then he
will go off in the direction of the place (generally a tree) where the
honey is, flying backward and forward in a zigzag fashion. Then back he
will come, twittering in the same manner, as if to say, 'Come along:
I'll show you where it is.' These actions are repeated until the tree is
reached, when the bird will indicate it very plainly by flying to it and
hovering around it. If the distance is great (and sometimes the
honey-bird will lead a person who is willing to follow a distance of ten
miles); he will wait on a tree until the follower comes up, and will
then continue his business of piloting. He is very persistent, and will
do his best to draw any one on; but if the party is not posted about
honey-birds, and refuses to follow, or goes in the wrong direction, the
bird will leave, probably in search of some person who will appreciate
his efforts to provide him with sweetmeats. While the bees are being
smoked out, and the honey taken up, the bird will hover in the vicinity
until the job is done, when of course his reward comes in the shape of a
feast on the fragments that are left. If he knows of other hives, just
as soon as one is disposed of he will lead the way to another, and I
have, since this time, known as many as four tre