New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-30
BENEVOLENCE IN ANIMALS.
ms ANCEs OF ITS OCCURRENCE AMONG
WILD AID DOMESTICATED SPECIES.
THE LATTER ARE PRONE TO DIRECT THEIR
KINDLY OFFICES TO MAJ. RATHER THAN
10 THEIR FELLOW BEASTS.
Fro,n The Spectator.

relapse With astonishing pertnacity 10 the nom
benevolent state. and that in cultured Athens
the horrible human sacrifices with which the
story ~ ancient Greece is repete survived as a
national institution. and that every year q man
aud Il woman were whipped through the streets
and then burned alive to satisfy some suco I'M
pulse as prompts similar acts among the congo
negroes. At the present moment the absence or
hem violence in any form among the non -dv'ei-
opeI races uf to-day needs no better HluStratlon
than he fact recorded 10y Captain Hinde that
on IT,, I.up,r Congo no negro lives beyond forty,
that being The age at which their tclloW-nlci
djt,..ti 8. o. indirectly cause their death
i ati}oGy demands the exercise OF peheyo
l,r!,a 49,. on" animal toward another. IL IS not
r.its clear in what sphere THIS sentiment Is W
Snd H.. r..aljZatiOn IT is clear that We cannot
expect It from ali animals to all other annhaiS
for In. ,a,nivorous creatures ndlWaiy act
"atcv lheir kind Probably thosc VINO No (D
n any r.tr desire to see this trait would cN-
r,et ID. -., either a general tendency 20 mutual
All aul comfort among the noh-carniVorouS
Wav.r-Dlrotcl creatures, or at lfaSt oeSlre 20
perform such good Offices among those OF III"
same species. We speak now OF ANIMALS IN d
state OF ,lauirc. not dOmcsticated The former
is probably an idea quite beyond the range OF
tn, ordinary animal mind. 1t is possible that
those Of one species feel sorrow when those or
another are in trouble or pain. But there is no
evidence whatever that wild animals ever 40
this There is kind Of chance ASSOCIATION on
thu same feeding ground, or sometimes uii"ci
stress nf 10od or fire. But We can recai no
single ies,aucc. for example. OF wild ANNA,
OF one species attempting TO defend an amman
Of another. even when lnev ar" qultc '"!hPttVhl
(. 10 50. II is doubtful II case mas oech
recorded Of buffaloes charging to protect a
WOUNDED antelope. though they Will do so to
ea.. : wounded member OF their own h"rd' OF
Of cl,nhartS or balloons, or other creatures
ydj.', i've I'm society, attempting TO protect the
wounded lnung of any other species nut their
r%n Arong the creatures Whlch seem 10 as.
Sufur 10 rode Of SentrlcS Tor inc protection OI
othe- animals there is one. the rhin0'eroS pro-
who's behavior almost justifes the belief That
II f--ls soinr duty to Tn" antelope or Dunalo on
n,iin
d.nLr. and apparently ORGANIZED Is the "'i
which i maintains. But this Is a very restless,
ar,i," bird and it is quite possible mat ITS IA
iniUarity Nith tn" species on whose backS II
npd~ food makes ii identify itself to some eT-
t.ni with them. !, probably imagincs the buff
faia 90 -. almost a part OF itself. In any case
In. instances Of Indifference are 50 OVcr~helm-
Ing ina, yvc may set aside the assumption that
thcr. is 4 common sympathy among non-rclated
animals even when not carniN0rous. III Is not
IL defect of character. but of comprehension
Tho relations between those of the same Spe-
trs ar closer. though exhibitions OF h"ipiu!-
ness are ny no means general. and instances
Of ros;tiye il-treatmennt are common. The
m ,nlSn.s who drown the Objectionably SICK ny
shnri1g thCm off trees into the river are GER
ta;rly rather Y',rsc than the Greeks who ma
roonod' Phiiocetcs for the same reason. But
with this should be contraSted Brehms story OF
the res.u" o. the young baboon from his dogs
b. 4 patriarch of the troop. and the encourage
rnent given by older stag To young one
which feared 10 jump fence. LORD LoNat
cjy.s an admirable description Of this scene in
sha vo!unc of the "Badminton Library" or
'Ic"tstalxing." The old stag reached over
toward the young one at last, and actually
. ktssca !,ln'; bat the youngster would not jump.
Animals are So "helpless' themselves when
ANYTHING goes amiSs especially in cases OF &C
til,nt that they can hardly be expected TO 90
n.uch for others. But the impulse Is often theTe
IN the related kinds. though 1t is not extended
10 the non-related. Offers run round a trapped
otter all night. Cats and foxes visit the bodies
or their dead. and so do soats ana Wcasels. IL
IT, A rule with trapperS TO leave theSe near a
iran. 20 Ne may conclude that these animals
rroLably visit their fellows when trapped. The
writer once saw an odd instance OF tins mel
Scctua, couCetn-prcbably not very deep LOT tne
actors were sparrOws. A brick trap had Deeh
SET IA a yard. and sparrow caught All the
snar~o,ys in the nclghborhood had learned 1T,
and .yerc sitting in crowds on hedges, cucun-
Der frames. sheds and buildings. dlscusSlhe the
situauon. staring modify AT the Trap Wueic
IN. cartive Vas imprisoned. but quite Invisible
EfAt Iav a robin was caught, but the spar
rows showed no concern Whatever
This tendency among tn" Wild races hhrS
d.dnite expression among the d"fncSt'a''d am
mais. though instances are not N'IE '"'uiip'I.
w. nave :. en- n small pig. stuck Ill pauhs
through which il had tried To squeeze, "SslSteo
lv an elder one INSIDE. Attracted by lis cries.
I; took 10, small pigs mead m Us ni"u'n d u
t,Ir, % i.ulI il through. in doing which II al
non,f p,Il - The sufferers hea of. III anoihrf
cas-, 4 al ,ielIhcrIt .lV fetched its )Wn'I q" as
,isi ,nntn,r cat which was lying ht ip'"ss IN Il
1T Moreover. domCstl'ttt animals are l." SOM
extent .rTogrcssiVe.' ard have I'al|'H N'
nnti,o If common good among other creatures
than their own stock. There Is good deaI OF
sergio. and beueVOcncc among very dlHcieht
d ,ui-sticat'i animals espe',idH! III tiV Ior III "a
,rni..tior sharing Of food and forucarahc'
,,l,lod Instances i'm which dogs or cats nave
isRcr r,od go others could doubtless Ice aulA, J.
t,.,t.1. though the N1ltcr mas hot N!tI''H''u d
co4, f:ut there is th' strongest Oh an 'N'"'t,
,hot ,h.v nav. , tendency TO perform ihrS" ana
-. ..r,.,..s 40 other animals. because the 40