The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-17

VA 'hH upper congo no negro lives beyond
40, that being the age at which their fell
low men. directly or indirectly, cause their
death.
If analogy demands the exercise Of be-
nevolence by one animal toward another
, 1t is not quite clear in what sphere this
| sentiment is to find its realization. 1t Il
clear that we cannot expect ii from all
animals to all other animals, for the car
niVorous creatures naturally act "after
their kind" Probably those who would at
any rate desire TO see this trait would ex-
pect to see either a general tendency to
mutual aid and comfort among the nom
| carnivorous warm blooded creatures or.
at least desire to perform such good
oHices among those of the same species
We speak now of animals On a state OF
nature, not domesticated. The former Is
probably an idea quite beyond the range
OF the ordinary animal mind II Is possi-
bic that those OF one species feel sorrow
when those of another are In trouble or
pain. But there ds no evidence whatever
that wild animals ever do this. There Is a
Nlnd OF chance association on the same
feeding ground, or sometimes under stress
OF HOOD or fire. But we can recall no sim
gle instance, for example, of a wild and
mai of one species attempting to defend an
animal of another even when they are
II a case has been recorded Of buffaloea
charging 10 protect wounded antelope.
though they viii do so to save a wounded
| member Of their own herd; OF of elephants
or balloons. or other creatures which live
IN society, attempting to protect the
wounded young of any other species but
their own. Among the creatures which
seem to assume the role OF sentries for
the protection Of other animals, there is
one, the rhinoceros bird whose behavior
almost justiiies the belief that II feels some
duty to the antelope or buffalo on whose
Insect enemies It Is feeding. so extraordi-
nary and apparently organized Is the war
which It maintains. But this Is a very
restless, active bird, and 1t Is quite possi-
BILE that it's familiarity with the species
on whose backs II finds food makes IL
Identify itself to some extent with them.
IL probably magines the buffalo to be AL
| most part of itself. In any case. the
| instances of indifference are 80 overwhelrn-
Ing that we may set aside the assumption
that there Is q common sympathy among
non-related animals, even when not car
nivorous. 1t Is not a defect of character.
but of comprehension.
The relations between those OF the same
species are closer, though exhibitions OF
helpfulness are by no means general and
instances Of positive ill-treatment are COM
mon. The monkeys vino drown the obiec-
tionally sick by showing them off trees
into the river are certainly rather worse
than TIE Greeks who ''narooned' Phil
octetes for the same reason. But with this
should be contrasted Brehm's story of the
rescue Of the young baboon from his dogs
by a patriarch of the troop, and the IN
couragement given by an older stag to a
young one which feared to jump a fence.
Lord Lovat gives an admirable descrip-
ton OF this scene Ia the volume Of the
~ n nfstygt
The old stag reached over toward the
young one at last ana actually kissed
him." but the youngster would not jump
Animals are so "helpless' themselves
when anything goes amiss. especially in
cases of accident, that they can hardly be
expected TO do much for others. But the
impulse Is often there in the related kinds
though Il is not extended TO the non-rela-
ed. Offers run round a trapped otter all
night. Cats and foxes visit the bodies OF
their dead, and so do stoats and weasels.
It Is a rule with trappers To leave these
near trap; 80 we may conclude that
these animals probably visit their fellows
when trapped The writer once saw an
odd Instance Of this Intellectual concern.
probably not very deep. for the actors were
sparrows. A. brick trap had been set in
a yard, and a sparrow caught. All the
sparrows IN the neighborhood had learned
&C. and were sitting In crowds on hedges.
cucumber frames, sheds and buildings, dis
cussing the situation, or staring modify
at the trap where the captive was imprls-
oned, but quite invisible. Next day a
robin was caught, but the eparrows show
ed no concern whatever.
This tendency among the wild races finds
definite expression among the domestic
Gated animals, though instances are not
very common. We have seen small pig,
stuck in a paling through which 1t had
tried TO squeeze, assisted by an elder one
inside Attracted by Its cries, II took the
small pigs head In its mouth and tried
to pull ii through, In doing which IL all
most pulled the sufferers head off. In
another case a cat deliberately fetched its
owner to assist another cat which was
lying helpless in a fit. Moreover, domes-
ticated animals are 90 some extent pro-
gressive," and have realized the notion
of common good among other creatures
than their own stock There is a good deal
of service and benevolence among very
different domesticated animals especially
in the form of protection, sharing of food
and forbearance. Specialized instances
in which dogs or cats have taken food to
others could doubtless be authenticated
though the writer has not witnessed a
case. But there is the strongest of all
evidence that they have tendency to
perform these and other services to other
ANIMALS, because The domesticated crea
lures voluntarily offer these services Of
beuevolence TO man. How can any one
doubt that animals lin domestication) are
willing to feed each other when there are
cats all over England and Scotland which
delight in bringing food as presents to
their owners? We need not go back 10
che historic cat. which caught pigeon
every day and brought It to its master
when a prisoner in the Tower.
1t is the natural impulse, usually of male
cats, to do this. The writer has seen 1t
constantly. and If references are needed
we need only turn to st. john who men
tons a Highland shepherd whose cat
brought him something edible nearly every
day in the year. Not the least interesting
fact in the growth of the sense Of benevo-
lence in animals is that when IL is en-
gendered, usually in a rudimentary form,
hut the same in kind, as the virtue which
we understand by the word Il Is at once
4f,+artaI ,,aftsraIItr feot,, other animal orl