[Illustration: Portrait of "EHA."] CONCERNING ANIMALS AND OTHER MATTERS BY E.H. AITKEN ("EHA") AUTHOR OF "FIVE WINDOWS OF THE SOUL," "TRIBES ON MY FRONTIER," ETC. WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR BY SURGEON-GENERAL W.B. BANNERMAN I.M.S., C.S.I. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY J A. SHEPHERD AND A PORTRAIT LONDON 1914 CONTENTS "EHA" I FEET AND HANDS II BILLS OF BIRDS III TAILS IV NOSES V EARS VI TOMMY VII THE BARN OWL VIII DOMESTIC ANIMALS IX SNAKES X THE INDIAN SNAKE-CHARMER XI CURES FOR SNAKE-BITE XII THE COBRA BUNGALOW XIII THE PANTHER I DID NOT SHOOT XIV THE PURBHOO XV THE COCONUT TREE XVI THE BETEL NUT XVII A HINDU FESTIVAL XVIII INDIAN POVERTY XIX BORROWED INDIAN WORDS Special thanks are due to the Editors and Proprietors of the _Strand Magazine, Pall Mall Magazine_ and _Times of India_ for their courtesy in permitting the reprinting of the articles in this book which originally appeared in their columns. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS HALF-TONES "EHA" THE NOSE OF THE ELEPHANT BECOMING A HAND HAS REDEEMED ITS MIND GOOD FOR ANY ROUGH JOB HERE THE COMPETITION HAS BEEN VERY KEEN INDEED THE RAT IS A NEAR RELATION OF THE SQUIRREL ZOOLOGICALLY BUT PERSONALLY HE IS A GUTTER-SNIPE, AND YOU MAY KNOW THAT BY ONE LOOK AT THE TAIL, WHICH HE DRAGS AFTER HIM LIKE A DIRTY ROPE A BLACKBIRD AND A STARLING--THE ONE LIFTS ITS SKIRTS, WHILE THE OTHER WEARS A WALKING DRESS THE NOSTRILS OF THE APTERYX ARE AT THE TIP OF ITS BEAK THE LONG-NOSED MONKEY LINE BLOCKS AN AUTHENTIC STANDARD FOOT THESE BEASTS ARE ALL CLODHOPPERS, AND THEIR FEET ARE HOBNAILED BOOTS IT HAS TO DOUBLE THEM UNDER AND HOBBLE ABOUT LIKE A CHINESE LADY NO DOUBT EACH BIRD SWEARS BY ITS OWN PATTERN ITS BILL DESERVES STUDY AS WONDERFUL AS THE PELICAN, BUT HOW OPPOSITE! THERE ARE SOME ECCENTRICS, SUCH AS JENNY WREN, WHICH HAVE DESPISED THEIR TAILS AT THE SIGHT OF A RIVAL THE DOG HOLDS ITS TAIL UP STIFFLY A SHREW CAN DO IT, BUT NOT A MAN A BOLD ATTEMPT TO GROW IN THE CASE OF A TAPIR I HAVE SEEN HUMAN NOSES OF A PATTERN NOT UNLIKE THIS, BUT THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED ARISTOCRATIC WHO CAN CONSIDER THAT NOSE SERIOUSLY? OR PERHAPS WHEN IT WANTS TO LISTEN IT RAISES A FLIPPER TO ITS EAR "TEAR OUT THE HOUSE LIKE THE DOGS WUZ ATTER HIM" A GREAT CATHOLIC CONGRESS OF DISTINGUISHED EARS THE CURLS OF A MOTHER'S DARLING INTRODUCTION "EHA"