The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-03-23

season, seem to seek change or adVen-
ture, or excitement. 1t may be doubted
whether, If the food supply were plenti-
full and constant, animals or birds would
ever care to move beyond the circle in
which they can find enough for their
daily wants. The probable Whereabouts
of deer at any time in the twenty-four
hours, and their occupation, whether
feeding, sleeping, or resting, are known
with, the utmost certainty to those
whose business 1t is to watch the forest,
and could be predicted for any month
in the year; and though the Scotch deer
move considerable distances, owing to
the bad weather and want of food on
the mountains, a fat Exmoor stag re-
mains in the same haunt, and goes
through the comfortable round of eat
in, sleeping, and occasionally bathing,
as regularly as its tame relations in
Richmond park, Change, excitement, or
even the desire to visit another part of
the forest does not seem to come within
their notion of what constitutes hap
piness in the wild life. Comfort seems
to be his aim, though this, secured by
natural means, bestows what In the
case Of human beings it often with
draws, the condition of perfect health.
The adventurous life, If it is found
anywhere among wild creatures, be-
longs to the earnivorous animals. Yet
most of these only wander just SO far
as is necessary to find their prey, and
then prefer to kill some creature that
will provide a meal for more than one
day. They are naturally indolent, and
active only from necessity. Even the
peregrine falcon, the fastest and boldest
of English birds, lives 'in a groove"
when it can. Those in the Culver cliffs
not only remain there during the whole
year, but at no time during the day are
they absent for more than an hour
from the cliff face. Though they could
cross the channel after breakfast, and
return by midday without fatigue, did
they choose to do so, they are much at
tached to a small area as the birds
which haunt our gardens. Another clue
to the passive character of animal hap
piness is that given by the behavior of
those creatures which have voluntarily
established what is called by natural
lists "commensalism" with man, living
only where he lives, and feeding on
what, in q sense falls from his table"
Sparrows, starlings, and the halfwild
pigeons of London are in the transition
state between the freedom of the fields
and the confinement of the Zoo, where,
by the way, these birds are perhaps
tanner and more confident than in any
other place. Their life, In its hours and
habits, is almost identical with that Of
the bird inmates of the cages. They |
eat when they eat, battle when they |
battle, and on cold nights win come and |
sit in the aviaries of the larger birds |
which admit their passage through the |
bars. In no case do they seem anxious |
for more liberty" 1t may be doubted |
If a Zoo sparrow has ever visited Hyde |
park, or whether, Il the Gagged birds |
We're given their liberty, they would |
leave the gardens. This has in some |
been proved. Some years ago |
the snow broke in the roof of a cage of |
wild wood-pigeons These birds remain |
I'd in the gardens. and nestled next |
spring in the adjacent trees.
For the widest creatures the state of I
nature has its evils, which disappear in
captivity. Every class, except the
strongest, mas It's natuIdi enemy lor-
sver seeking to kill 1t, of whose exist
ence it is painfully aware, and which
Keeps it constantly in nervous dread.
For most, a change of weather or of
season causes a dearth of food; and for
Ill the inevitable time of injury and
though not foreseen or draed
ID, comes at last, without the chance Of
Lid or recovery. An example of the ad-
of life at the Zoo, even to the
argest animals when attacked by ill
ness curable by human treatment, but
likely to cause lingering death in free
l0m, occurred only recently in the gar
lens An Indian rhinoceros developed
/ large and painful abscess under its
we. This was suspected to be caused
~ a bad tooth; but as 1t ate the twigs
# birch-broom which was cut up and
,iven to 1t, it was decided to treat the