azing, he
would run forward, stop his own drove, and then driving the others
from each side of the path, collect his scattered charge and then go on
again. He was several times afterward sent thus alone for the amusement
of the curious or the convenience of his master, and always did his work
in the same adroit and intelligent manner.

[Illustration]

LXXVIII

THE CATCHER CAUGHT

During a sudden flood in the Rhine, a hare, unable to find a way of
escape through the water to higher land, climbed up a tree. One of the
boatmen rowing about to assist the unfortunate people, seeing her, rowed
up to the tree, and, eager for the game, climbed it, without properly
fastening his boat.

The frightened hare, as its pursuer came near, sprang from the tree into
the boat, which thus set in motion, floated away, leaving its owner in
the tree in dread of being washed away by the current. After several
hours' anxiety, he was seen, and taken off by some of his companions.

[Illustration]

LXXIX

SNAKE DESTROYERS

The Indian ichneumon, a small creature, looking like both the weasel and
the mongoose, is of great use to the natives because of its great hatred
of snakes, which would otherwise make every footstep of the traveller
most dangerous. This little creature, on seeing a snake, no matter how
large, will instantly dart on it, and seize it by the throat, if he
finds himself in an open place, where he has a chance of running to a
certain herb, which he some way knows to be an antidote against the
poison of the bite, if he should happen to receive one. A gentleman
visiting the island of Ceylon saw the experiment tried in a closed room,
where the ichneumon, instead of attacking his enemy, did all in his
power to avoid him. On being carried out of the house, however, and put
near his antagonist in the field, he at once darted at the snake, and
soon killed it. It then suddenly disappeared for a few minutes, and
again returned as soon as it had found and eaten the herb it knew was an
antidote.

[Illustration]

LXXX

MUSICAL MICE

"One rainy winter evening, as I was alone in my room," says an American
gentleman, "I took up my flute and began to play. In a few minutes my
attention was directed to a mouse that I saw creeping from a hole, and
coming toward the chair in which I was sitting. I stopped playing, and
it ran quickly back to its hole. I began again shortly afterward, and
was much surprised to