Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1894-02-02
TEMPER OF ANIMALS.
CREATURES ARE. AS A RULE, MUCH
MORE AMiABEE THAN MEN. !

Been Known To XIII Boy -Zebras and
Wild Asses Are Rather Dangerous.
The old theory that animal good temper
might be accounted for on the ground that
animals are sensible of pleasure and pain,
but not Of advantage and disadvantage
was only half truth, for animals are sub
| iect to jealousy and jealousy is the direct
result Of feeling Of personal disadyan-
tage. But 1t 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 dissensiond
raised at pairing time. and even in the last
case combat is only general in the case 81
polygamous animals.
Deer fight more fierceiy than wolves, AMI
wild sheep than lions; and though there 1
or was an eagle In the Zoo which We
caught locked in the talons of another
eagle when fighting in the spring, the
dercest 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 in peace. Proximity, the sever
est trial to human temper. seldom ruffles
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, a result which would
hardly be expected from the relative phy-
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 SUNNY
rarely excites i'll will, except in the case Of
the largest carnivorous 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 ieal-
Gus, and that strong social and gregarious
Instinct which the existence Of i'll tempas
as a permanent characteristic would IN
evitably destroy keeps them together Il
peace and harmony. They love society
ana not the least marked difference bey
tween the temperament of animals and
men is that animals do net by mere con
tact irritate each other--as positive and not
unimportant compensation for the absence
of the gift Of speech.
Since occasions of difference are SO few
nothing but the assumption of an ancient
and inbred malignity in animal minds.
such as the author of Three Men in
Boat" supposes In the case Of fox terriers
to have been due to double dose of orisyi
nal sin, could justify the view SO generally
held that animals are as rule ferocious
and i'll tempered, notion summed up in
Mr. Burnands conclusions in ..Happy
Thoughts" that most of the creatures
with which he came in contact in the
country were, when not dangerous. nj,
ways very uncertain" The exact contrary
would be nearer the truth.
Animal temper is naturally pacific.
squable and mild. Bad temper is the
privilege of more highly organized ma
lures. and the mild resentment of the pla
cable tiger finds its development in the
apoplectic fury of the mandril and the
measured malice of mankind. Horace's
suggestion that Prometheus added to the
Ill temper of man the strength OF a 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 as an |
III tempered individual does in a kindly |
species. The ruminants are most peace |
ful race, yet deer are savage, and SO is that
handsome Indian antelope, the nylghau.
tame stag is a very dangerous pet, and
sven the beautiful roebuck has been
known to kill a boy in wild cit of rage.
But the flercest and most vindictive of all,
with the exception of the Cape buffalo, is
5he South African gnu, which never loses
is Ill 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
,ebras and the wild asses, which suggest
hat human Encouragement is not entire
y to blame for the occasional i'll temper
md obstinacy Of mules and donkeys
To the i'll tempered species we may add
he camel and the two horned black
hinoceros. The last is really ferocious,
harging down on any creature, man or
'east, without proyocation, and capable of
nfiicting mortal wounds even or the lion,
he elephant or its own kind. But among
II the larger creatures Of the animal king
om it is difficult to find more than a
oxen species which are, as class, Ill tenn
cred, unless we include all those car {
ivorous animals which exhibit certain {
erocity in the capture of their prey.--Lon I
on Spectator