Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-08-25
v,.pr cure nausea, indigestion,
IIOOu , Eiiis biliousness, constipation.
ANIMALS As LINES.
Examples of Canning which Are Meant to
,0 Deceive.

Tle-Bits.
Although we often find the lower ami.
mails put forward as models from which
man might learn lesson in many virtues,
it appears upon closer examination. that
there is scarcely a vice known among men
In which some one or more animals will
not be found proficient.
Take the vice of lying, for example, il
has not, | think, been generally noticed
how prevalent is this propensity among
animals. Some instances are. Of course
familiar. The lapwing lures the trespasser
away from its nest by distressful cries and
pretense of helplessness due to broken
wing; but would anyone suspect the com.
mon goose of the same viceY"
why, it has not the brains to be liarri
most of your readers would e1claini. And
yet it is shown in Mr.. Louis RObinsnn's
s'Wild Traits ill Tame Animals that every
time goose or gander stretches out his
neck and Kisses at an intruder it's acting
lie to which the family has been addicted
for ages.
This habit, in fact, belonged to its an.
cestors in the wild state when they nested
among reeds and bushes, and originated
in an attempt to make possible enemies keep
clear of them under the belief that they
were serpents.
There is cool and deliberate lying for you'll
Instead of taking to flight, the wild goose,
when nesting. would lie low, with its body
| concealed by the grass or reeds, and darting
out snake-like head and neck declare
with n hiss that it actually was snake.
Anyone, again, who has watched crows
building their nests in spring will see thiey-
ing. with lying to follow, going on con.
| tinuaIly. One crow puts some sticks into
| its nest and goes off for more. Its neighbor
hops across and annexes these sticks the in.
| jured proprietor returns and at once ac.
cuses the author of the theft; observe the
| prompt and righteous indignation of the
| latter observe the widely opened mouth
with which he eioquentv repels the charge.
Can anyone doubt that he is saying;
You're dusky. wretched liar | carried
| these sticks II mile. ii carried them q yard,
| Do you think I'd use a stick that had peen
in your measly nest9 Not IL
Nor is the genius for. lying confined to
| birds. Every friend of the dog knows how
that ANIMAL unless trained to express his
natural tendency, will howl half the night
II put TO sleep In an clubhouse. or even In
the kitchen or other nnoccupied room; and
how it is apt from time to time to change
barking. from which the experienced ear
will miss the true note of real rage.
Suppose you hurry down on such an
| occasion, do Hnu ever find the animal con.
fronting bnrgisr or watching a suspected
point? Does it not always run up TO you
as soon as You open the door, and after a
hurried attempt to flatter you, rush into the
house or upstairsa The decever was only
pretending to see something 10 bark at
So much for the dog. The cat. however,
though enjoying high reputation as 4
thief, has not been generally known us o
liar, yet, if Mr.. Louis Robinson be correct
the cat acts the same lie as the goose, and
with much greater energy and thorough.
ness of detail.
He makes il pretty clear that the kissing
and splitting of an enraged cat, as also the
appearance of its head and 1.-THE quick To
| and frn nf TO hur
sinuous tail, - all originated in a deliberate
attempt Of its wild ancestors to pass them.
selves off as venomous serpents.
| Serpents are terrible eli ough now but in
earlier times they were both larger and
more plentiful, and all warm-booded ami
mails and birds, even those that face them
and kill them, have an innate hortor oil
them.
Wild cats, as the author above referred Ia
points out, make their homes in hollow
trees or other dark retreats, where their
hroods are fairly safe from molestati N.
When carniyorous animal discovers such
a rest and, on approaching. hears an
omiDous Kissing proceeding from it (foI
very young kittens can hiss and spit), h. is
apt to think twice before risking head OF
paw in such dangerous venture
VI course these instances scarcely indi,
cate any high degree of mental obliquity,
since the practice seems chiefly resorfed to
in self-defence or for the still more ex-
cusable object of defending their young.
Still, the lie for business purposes is also
found, as, for example. where the thrush
Oh our lawns in dry weather strikes several
smart strokes in succession with its feet on
the ground to make the worms think it is
raining and come up to the surface. In fact,
il seems avident that the root of the matter
is IN the lower animals, and that If this
vice be taken as index they possess the
| germs of civilization.