Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-10
Suicide of Animals.

The authorities of the Geological
Gardens at Dublin have been perplexed
AID not unnaturally-at the behavior
OF n OF their finest llonesses. 1t
would have been perfectly ineligible,
though a little peculiar, if in devour-
ing The carcass OF Il sheep, Tor instance,
the lioness had commenced to solemD-
ly devour the tail aud the .orepaws OF
she victim; but this part cular lioncss
has ~assiduously commenced to eat. not
Meta and forepaws OF the sheep, but
her own. One day last week she re-
moved twelve inches and the hirsute
appenda.e OF her tail. The neNt day
h devoured the rest Of the stump,
and the day after commenced 10 dis.
pose OF one Of her forcpaws. Through
a'ui the operat on she has shown
no appreciation of the pain inflicted.
infslilerencc to pam under certain
circumstances is indeed the preroeatiyc
Df the lower creation. Savages, in pro-
portion as they deterioratc from the
civilized level and approach the brute,
Eise III this. that they a support the
saceration of their flesh, the attacks of
aggonizing vermin, and the pangs of
iMunger and thirst with the sangfro d of
\ w0if.
The aunals Of animal suicide are,
nevertheless, singularly parallel to
chose OF human beings. Even with the
aacients. whose knowledge of natural
history was the vagueSt, legends OF SELF
obstruction among the lower orders OF
creation We're familiar enough. The
fhpnix that once in five centuries il
Summed the world with the splendor OF
RS suicide was, perhaps, the most nota-
hle, because the most untrue.
Ihe story OF the pelican, again, that
sed It's young with its own likelihood,
ard expired a willing victim on the
altar OF the nursery, was a. far untrue
and famous as the pelican is concerned.
But transfer the legend to the hornblll,
= fowl TO whom nature has been almost
as liberal as TO the pelican in its COM
E'seuncnt OF teak, and we find this self
sacrifice painfully realistic. Not. in
aced, that the hornbill punctures its
breast and gives draughts OF hearts
10 God to its parricidal brood, as poets
seign Of the pelican. but, in a more
p1nsa!c way, the Eornbil!-feeGs its
young with the contents of its stomach.
and in order that nothing be lost. sur
s&niers with each meal the lining of lis
ss>a interior anatomy, until it often
Happens that. exhausted and weakened
aith the constant reproduction OF its
tissues, the parent tutters dying to the
fBos OF the hollow tree where its young
are clamorng greedily for food. How
many human beings, honest. hard
working, over-working fathers Of tami-
Aa4s, are like this liornbill9 Ii is
co2llaon, a-ain, among the lower
animals, in eases OF severe neces-
,aay. to- undergo pain and suffer
severe mutilat,on in some minor por-
ison of their persons to secure the safety
uf she rest. 30 gamekeeper and few
banners but have noticed how trapped
sermin, rat or fox, will gnaw OIL their
limbs to gan their liberty. DO they
incl pain while the sharp teeth
sever muscle and tissue, and crate
ahrougn the bone? Lid the ancient
mariner. who SOW his last hopes of
in the recovery of his parched
soice, feel pam when he bit his arm
s+s.nd sucked tLc blood, ami cried. a
saii! ~ sail.'"? The viper, again. firmly
down by the middle, will turn,
xssd time after time lntlict upon itself 3
that should mean certain death.
The dragon y, he'd securely By the