Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-04-22
Humor Among the Lower Animals.


widely spread among them is this species
of humor, namely: annoying and insult
ing a stronger being than themselves
whenever they think that they can do
so with impunity. And so strong is the
impulse to crafty their sense of humor
that they do not hesitate to do so at the
risk of their lives. NJ. Mouhot, in his
work on India China and Cambodia, /"
mentions that he has often witnessed
very amusing scenes between the monk
ely and the crocodile.
The latter animal is lying half asleep
on the bank, and is espied by the monk
eys. They seem to consult together,
approach, draw back, and at last proceed
to overt acts of annoyance. If a monkey
can find convenient branch he goes
along it, swings himself down, hangs by
hand or a foot, slaps the crocodile on
the nose, and instantly scrambles up the
branch out of the reptiles reach Some
times when no branch is sufficiently near
several monkeys will hang to each other
so as to make chain, and, swinging
backward and forward over the croco-
dile's head, the lowermost monkey will
torment the reptile to his hearts con-
tent. The cream of the joke is when the
crocodile is at last so irritated that it
opens its enormous jaws, makes vicious
snap at the monkey, and just misses
him. Whenever this happy event oc-
ours there are screams and gatherings
of exultation from the monkeys and a
vast number of joyful gambols executed
among the branches.
Of course, according to the old proverb,
the pitcher may go too often to the well !;
and it does occasionally happen that the
monkey does not escape in time and is
ingufed in the crocodile's jaws. Where
upon the cries of exultation are changed
into groans and shrieks of terror, and
the whole assembly make off as fast as
they can. But experience does not teach
them discretion, and in two or three DAYS
they will be at the same game again
I am personally acquainted with a
heron in which this form of humor is
largely developed.
The bird was in one sense tame, for it
was allowed to run loose in garden, and
was on the most affectionate terms of
friendship with one of the men employed
in it's owners warehouse. It is really
beautiful to see the welcome which the
bird gives to the man, and to hear her
low, loving gable as she rubs her head
against him, or takes his hand gently in
her beak. He has taught her several
tricks, as, for example, to take off his
hat at the word of command. She is a
beautiful creature; and if the sense of
humor were not quite SO strong she
would be an admirable bird. Unfortu-
nately, she has an unappeasable relish
for practical jokes, especially against
human beings, looking quite soft and
gentle until they are within reach, and
then driving her long, sharp beak at them
with the rapidity of a serpent's stroke
On one occasion her sense of humor
was developed to such an extent as to
cost the loss of her liberty
inhabited by great number of aquatic
Birds principally gulls and ducks, and
they have way of laying their eggs in
different parts of the garden. One day
learned and respected neighbor went
into the garden, and, seeing some ducks
eggs on the ground, stopped down to eX-
anime them. AS he was thus engaged,
the heron stole up softly behind him, and
delivered SO tremendous blow that she
fairly knocked him on his face.
The unfortunate gentleman, knowing
that the heron has an unpleasant way of
pecking at eyes, crouched as closely to
eyes with his arms, and calling for help
as loudly as he could in such a position.
The heron, enjoying the joke immensely,
mounted on his back, and triumphantly
maintained her post there until assist
ance arrived and she was driven off,
Since that explicit she has not been al
lowed to run loose, but has been confined
in roomy cage, in which she can run
about. Even under these circumstances
she delights in enticing people to come
near the cage, and then darting her beak
at them between the bars-a joke which
she has several times played at my ex-
pense. The distance to which she can
project her beak is quite marvellous, and
it is no difficult matter for the bird to de-
coy too confding persons within her
reach.
The following account of bird humor,
as displayed in practical joking, is taken
from Hardwicke's Science Gossip of
March, 1872:
a have imbibed many of the tastes of
Gilbert White; but that which engrosses
me most, and which / may call my
hobby, is the natural history of the swal-
low tribe.
81 have read that swallows will mob
and put to flight kestrel-hawk. This I
was rather skeptical Of until lately,
when my doubts were removed by that
most convincing of proofs, ocular
demonstration. | had gone to see an old
castle in the neighborhood which was
built on the only hill for miles around,
and was therefore tolerably certain to be