The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-12-09
TEMPER OF ANIMALS.
CREATURES ARE. AS A RULE, MUCH
MORE AMiABLE THAN MEN.
Deer Fight More Fiercely Than Wolves,
Strange to Say. and = Tame Stag Has
Rec" Known to kin Hoy .Zebras and
wild Asses Are Rather Dangerous


Strange to Say. and Tame Stag Has
Becn known To XIII u Hoy .zebras and
wild As.es Are Rather Dangerous.
The old theory that animal good temper
might be accounted Tor on the ground that
animals are sensible OF pleasure aud pain.
but not of advantage and disadvantage,
was only "A half truth, for animals are sub
iect To jealousy and jealousy is the direcr
result of feeling OF personal disaelvau-
tage. But IL draws attention to the fact
that occasions for disagreement in the case
of most animals are rare and unusual
Questions of domicile are almost the sole
ground of diScord in the animal world,
with the exception of the fierce dissensions
raised at pairing time, and even in the last
case combat is only general in the case of
polygamous animals.
Deer fight more tierceiy than wolves, and
wild sheep than lions; and though there is
or WAS AN eagle in the Zoo which WAS
caught locked in the talons Of another
eagle when lighting in the spring. the
iercest birds are usually friendly with
their own species, and while ruffs and
black game fight like giadiators for their
wives, the eagles and the peregrines. as "A
rule, mate 10 peace, Proximity, the sever
est trial to human temper. seldom ruffies
the animal mind, and different species live
in harmony together, each seeming, as in
the case Of owls and the prairie dogs or
rocks and starlingS, rather to prefer than
shun the society OF the other.
The choicest spots for homes are natu-
rally the source OF warfare among birds,
and other animals frequently fight for the
possession Of some favorite breeding place
Badgers and foxes which have shared the
same earth during winter often fight for
sole possession in the spring. when the fox
invariably wins result which would
hardly be expected from the relative ply
sique of the two animals But such quar-
rels are only for the sake OF rearing their
young. not for selfish reasons; and even
apprehended pressure on the food supply
rarely excites i'll will, except in the case OF
the largest carnvorous birds and animals
which require wider range for hunting
and drive their young to other districts
ANIMAL TEMPER PACIFIC.
The rodents and ruminants are less jeal
ous, and that ST rong social and a,regarious
instinct which the existence OF i'll temper
as u permanent characteristic would in
evitably destroy keeps them together in
peace and harmony They love society
and not the least marked difference be
tween the temperament OF animals and
men is that animals do not by mere cou-
tact irritate each other-a positive and not
unimportant compensation for the absence
OF the gift OF speech.
Since occasions Of difference are 80 few
nothing but the assumption OF an ancient
and inbred malignity in animal minds,
such as the author OF Three Men in a
/ R.Nasrf -
| to have been due to "a dou BILE dose OF origi
nal sin. could justify the view 50 generally
held that aninals are as rule ferocious
| and i'll tempered. notion summed up in
| Mr.. Burnand's conclusions in Happy
| Thoughts" that most OF the creatures
with which he came in contact in the
country were. when not dangerous, u.
ways very uncertain" The exact contrary
| would he nearer the truth.
| Animal temper is naturally pacific
sguable and mild. Bad temper is the
| privilege OF more highly organized M
lures, and the mild resent nent OF the pla
| cable tiger finds its development in the
| apoplectic fury Of the mandril and the
measured malice OF mankind Horace,
suggestion that Prumetheus added to the
i'll temper Of man the strength OF mad
| lion must be taken literally
SOME SAVAGE CREATURES
! The general law Of good nature in the
animal world makes the exceptions all The
more remarkable. Quarrelsome species
appear among friendly tribe, Just a. an
i'll tempered individual does in a kindly
species. The ruminants are most peace
full race, yet deer are savage. and 80 j. that
handsome Indian antelope, the uylghau
A tame stag is very dangerous pet and
even the beautiful roebuck has been
known To kill boy in wild fit Of rage
But the hercest and most vindictiye Of all
with the exception Of the Cape buffalo, il
the South African gnu, which never loses
! its i'll temper when tanned. and always re-.
mains among the few dangerous animals
which the keepers at the Zoo have to deal
| with. Hardly less i'll tempered are the
zebras and the wild asses, which suggest
| that human acknowledgement is not entire
/ ly to blame for the occasional Ill temper
and obstinacy Of mules and donkey%
| To the i'll tempered species we may add
the camel and the two horned black
| rhinoceros. The last il really ferocious,
| charging down on any creature, man or
least, without provocation, and capable Of
| infiicting mortal wounds even on the lion
| the elephant or its own kind But among
| all the larger creatures Of the animal king
dom it is difficult to find more than n
| dozen species which are, az a class i'll tenn
| pered, unless we include all tho-e car
nivorous animals which exhibit a certain
| ferocity in the capture Of their prey-Ion
| don Spectator