, 1888-08-14
NATURES FRIENDSHIPS.
THE STATE OF WAR NOT so
BAD AS WE IMAGINE.

Slaughter OF Birds and Beasts-Griet OF
Pets at Losing n Fr~iend-NaturnI An
tipnthics.
There is a deal OF love killed out or pre-
vented from manifesting itself. This is true
not only among human beings, but between
men and animals and birds, and even insects.
The state Of war that is in existence IN ma
ture. lis not by half as bad as we imagine.
The worst half is caused by our own selfish
interference. On wild islands, when first
visited BY men, it is always reported TINT
owls and birds are so tame that they permit
the approach OF any one without the idea Of
fcar. But this they soon loSc. The same is
true of seals and animals that have not been
hunted. But there grows up rapidly n dread
Of man, so that tho scent of "A human being
to an antelope, elk or buffalo is most abhor
rent. This becomes an inherited trait, Man,
after all, is the great destroyer that is
dreaded in all the realms of nature. The fe-
line tribes rank next to him. together with
wolves, hawks and serpents. This is not u
pleasant fact to consider, but it is saddest of
all that it is n fact.
nor does this begin TO tell the full truth. 1t
is not wild animals alone that dread US, hut
as u rule there is little love for us among tame
animals, the dog excepted. The cat has AN
occasional friend, but Is compelled for tine
most part to live on the defensive. Some
races, like the Bedouins, live on terms Of
familiarity with their horses and camels.
These exceptions show the possible friend
ship. In a Quaker barnyard | have seen such
a rule of love that every animal was n con
scious friend 1t is only because Of our
brutality, or Indifference, that our animals
are not our lovers. Cows are by no means
board faced creatures" when gently handled
Trained up as pets, they become aifectionnte
to a degree surpassed only by dogs. | have
owned n horse that never allowed me to ap-
proach without placing her hend affection
ately across my shoulder or her nose in my
bosom
| cannot think without anger Of the
slaughter OF birds and animals for no posi-
ble reason but sport. The birds would take
to us' freely, If they dared; and, us it Is, a
few have managed to break down prejudice.
The friendship between mankind and robins
| can hardly comprehend, for this bird is far
less valuable than some Others, and is also
less beautiful. A writer in Vick's Magazine
relates how she formed n friendship with IA
humming bird. II have had one brief little
friendship with IA bird during the present
summer which seems like n tender dream, n
aeeting glimpse into an unknown land, II
peep into fairyland.n She had come upon IA
tiny young humming bird that had been
chilled by a cool night, and, picking him up,
had warmed and fed him. He grew so tame
TINT "when he was hungry ho would hy
down 10 me from top of a picture, and,
alighting on a twig in my fingers, would sit
and sip his sugar and water from II teaspoon
Or the end of my finger. These drops would
satisfy him" and then Off he flew. Gle de
lighted to be held over u large spoonful of
soft water, and dip in his beak and splash
water over his little body
There is no reason why this gentle accord
may not be established ON all hands. Pris-
oners, as we know, have formed curious at
tachments for crickets and spiders, and thus
saved themselves from loss of reason during
solitary confinement. Nor, even in such
cases, is the friendship altogether on one side.
Foxes, dogs, cats, horses, have been known
to die for grief over the death of n special
friend. | have seen manifestations of in
tense grief in several cases. The cat is capa-
Bile of peculiarly strong attachments. | have
known one to he iuconsolable for many
weeks after the departure of IA boy to whom
he specially devoted himself.
Natural antipathies form the other side of
this question and the illustrations are all
about. A stray dog came to my place last
summer. He laid himself fat on his belly as
approached, only moving his eyes with the
most intent watchfulness. l drew nearer,
not u motion, but he drew still fatter to the
soil. He was Offering his services. Would
accept himi He was u beautiful cross OF
shepherd and hunter. l said, "Yes, you
muy stay" He knew in a moment the pur-
port of my words. Leaping up, he came
with eyes full of gladness aud took my scent,
and at once was a member of my household.
But the friendship was ever first of all for
myself.
Now came the question OF cat and dog, for
| had a splendid cat that had had no dogs
about to annoy him. Here was the natural
antagonism of the feline and canine races.
But "Shepn understood perfectly that he was
an adopted resident, aud must not crowd his
acquaintance. They could not become quite
friends, but learned to tolerate each other.
What is this natural antipathyl Traced far
enough back, the ancestry of the felines and
CANNES come out OF a common stock. But
these terrible clawing~ creatures have been
outlaws from time immemorial. To bite is
allownble in the animal code; but to scratch,
that Is an innovation and indecent. We have
codes that allow bullies to pound and kick,
but they must not scratch. 1t is easy to inn
agine how the first that took to using their
nails were driven out of the tribe. | believe
the genuine ancestry to be canine; the feline
is a spurious oifshoot.
There are intense hatreds, rs we well know,
between birds, Not one of them will form
an alliance with the English sparrow, Sofnr
as | have observed the blackbird has no
friends and does not care for any. He works
in troops. steals in companies, and has his
bill against all other sorts of birds, and is de
tested in turn. An owl is a lonely creature,
only that it Is said occasionally to make apet
of " snake instead of eating 1t, which doubt.
Thu friendship is probably like that of prai
rie dogs and rattlesnakes-an invasion OF
snakes that can not be prevented. The owl
may not be able to digest some of his saurion
acquaintance. As a rule there is some one,
or two, members of a household, that had
better let the domestic cat alone-sometimes
also the dog or dogs. Why these are not
liked 10y the animals | do not know, unless it
be something in the scent Horses have
strong antipathies to certain grooms, based,
/ should judge, at least in part, on smell
'E p. Pr in Globe Democrat.
A New Experience.