The Wonders of the Jungle, Book One

he Knights o

America you may have already heard about. I am sorry to say that hunters have killed so many of th

loes that have to live in herds just because they have to guard themselves from the tiger. Yet they are much bigger tha

head. Each horn is at least a yard long; and there are some buffaloes

g and mighty animal. But still, if just one buffalo tried

horns. Then the tiger could turn quickly, and strike the buffalo on the neck from behind. And though the bu

ve together like a band of soldiers, so that the tiger n

there is plenty of water, and lots of trees and grass. There is sure to be a stream or

ering here and there to find good grass to eat, they a

o that? To dr

o that liv

, they may want to drink

n why they like to be near wa

water, when it is

for a long time, when the sun is very hot. Then they lie down in the shallow part, and remain ne

, when the sky is cloudy, the buffaloes

selves, and make themse

r Body with Mu

mselves clean! In fact, the buffaloes go into the stream or the pond to cover themselves with

have long hair on their necks, like the American buffaloes. In fact, they do not have much hair anywhere on their

s trunk. But the buffalo has no trunk, and his tail can whisk off the flies for only a

h the mud. Then he does not feel the flies at all, even if they swarm all over him. An

t that time, he does not mind it. Why? Because the mud on his body keeps

the jungle while I show yo

ight ahead of us. We are following them from behind. You must be careful not to make a sound. If you

that keep their ears close to the ground while

they walk along. But do you see the wonderful way in which they are arranged? It is just like the

eating grass, they could not be in rows; because then they would be too close together to pick out the best bits of grass. So, how could

uard against Ti

of the crescent bend in toward each other, just as if the two tips of the let

rescent. So, as we are following the buffaloes from behind

inside the crescent. So you see, while the buffaloes are grazing and moving along, if they meet any danger, the Pa

the buffaloes fe

e they are munching the mouthful. Then, with another bite or two, they take a fresh mouthful and walk on a step or two while

and go after the herd very quietly from b

all, as they graze along; they are quite sure that the Papas are taking go

calf of the ordinary cow. Watch and see how playful he is! He is just like any other calf. His Mamma is grazing along quietly, and he

He does not seem to want more than a mouthful at a time. So he looks up suddenly, and sta

stares, and trots back to his Mamma for another mouthful of milk. After that he looks up

ng a mouthful of milk, and then a mad gallop. And he doe

about in some way or other most of the time. But the buffalo calf is not like this; and when you see him standing quite still, staring at nothin

l the other calves are playing ab

re taking good care of the Mammas and t

ything; they are just feeding and moving along. Then h

hy, there is not more than a couple of yards between the two! If there were any sudden danger

now Danger is C

w if any danger were co

uld smell the danger, or hear it, or see

ere a tiger, the buffaloes could smell him half a mile off; that is about as far as ten blocks in a city. And if the wind were not blowing tha

n twig, the buffaloes could hear the sound of it as far off as five blocks. And even if the danger came from behind, or from

see it. The buffaloes do that by keeping a loo

the herd. We can see him only from the back; but as he is the biggest and tallest buffa

sees no danger there. So he gives a glance to his right, and then to his left. No,

looks to see that no danger is comin

of the herd,-right near the end of the c

lo Se

cent are doing. They are the watchers, or sentinels, as they

und; he even looks right to the back. Then he takes four or five strides to catch up with the her

s, the herd is quite safe; the two sentinels are sure to

e less to eat, if they are watc

two sentinels from the ends move up toward the middle, and the next ones then begin to keep watch

rescent; but the two ends are closed up, so that the Papas make

eep their heads pointed to the outside of the ring, so that they can get up in a minute, and b

erful things that the buffalo

rough; so the grass is getting scarce here and there. The buffaloes have not enough grass all

fresh young shrubs in passing, as they will eat

shrubs in one place. You can see gaps in the line of buffaloes now. A

ing behind; and some are turning too much to the side in tryi

another now, because of the bushes between them! What are the sentinel

you hea

o!

that the herd is spread out too far; so he

sentinel on the right, who is very far away now; but st

the answer also from th

up!" cries

. And on his way there he tells all the buffaloes he meets to move up also. Besides

ay of bringing up all tho

e closed up now, and there is no big gap

to thicket, and come as ne

s far away to the side. This kind of jungle grass grows very tall, taller than a

t is making the tall grass wave like that? Is it the wind? No, it cannot be the wind! Why not? Because if i

n the tall grass! And as the animal is coming nearer an

o! What is he doing now? Can you hear

out!" That is

. They all close up as n

tree near by! We are in dan

Now we are quite safe! But se

ke a Ring wh

have made a perfect ring around the Mammas and the children. The Papas are facin

all grass is waving nearer and nearer. So, the anim

ss. There he makes a gap in the grass, an

buffaloes are ready for him. The tiger growls in rage. He prowls round and round the ring of

ungle around is taking fright at the roar. See! All the small animals

nd the Ring

the tiger roars-he wants to make the small animals behave so stupidly, in the

to reach a bush or thicket. But some are cut off from s

Find Safety

s raise their heads to make a way for them under the horns. Some of them, like the wild goats, jump over the buffaloes' hor

w nobody is afraid. The bull buffaloes paw the ground impatiently

He does not want to be trampled into a mess

and the children from danger, and they also guard al

t the buffaloes are th

aloes Plowing i