Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1908 — THIRST-PROOF ANIMALS. [ARTICLE]

THIRST-PROOF ANIMALS.

Others Besides the Camel Exist for Long Period* Without Water. From our childhood picture book days nearly every one of us has cherished the idea that the camel was the beast above all others that'could exist for extended periods without drinking. Aud so few of iis have any idea that there are other beasts of the earth quite as capable as tue humped quadruped of going for days and weeks without water. Sheep in the Northwestern deserts go for forty to sixty days in winter, without drink, grazing on the green, succulent vegetation of that season. Peccaries in the desert of Sonora live in little dry hills, where there Is no natural water, for long fieriods. They cannot possibly find water. In fact, for months at a time. The only moisture they can obtain comas from roots and the fruits of cacti.

But the most extraordinary case, says the New York Herald, is that of the pocket mouse, one of ine common rodents of the desert. This little ceature, by the way, has a genuine fhr lined pocket on the outside of Its cheek. When it is hungry it takes food from this pocket with its paw, just as a man would pull a sandwich from his pocket. It is said that one of these mice has been kept for three years with no other food than the mixed bird seed of commerce. During this period tt had not a taste ot either water or green food. Other experiments in this direction have shown, in fact, that these mice in captivity refuse sucn treats, not seeming to know that water is good to drink. The bird seed put before the mouse referred to contained not more than ten per cent, of moisture which is less than is necessary for digestion. Stuff so dry as this cannot even be swallowed until it is moistened by saliva, yet this remarkable mouse gave nothing but Ms time to the interests of science. He suffered nothing in health or spirits during his captivity.