The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-27

common enough among flying and
| creeping things. but is supposed to he
almost unknown among mammals
eagles, he has found, are particularly
| lono OF the flesh of animals of the cat
tribe tthfs is not a discovery, though
Dr. Robinson has strong confirmation
70 Drfng forward; and he points out
lhat, when tabby is curled up asleep,
us markings. looked at from above, are
curlonsiy serpentine--so much so that
an eagle might easily mistake it for its
dreaded enemy. the snake. Again, the
spittlng and kissing of a cal closely re-
sembies the sounds made by serpents
ana the head of an angry cat, with
ears pressed fiat, eyes CLASSY and star
ing and exposed fangs." might well be
mistaken for that of large snake. The
deception would be heightened, too, by
the snake-lfke movement of the cats
tail, and from these similarities DR.
Robinson deduces this story.
Whatever doubt we may have as to
the protective meaning of the concen-
trlc bands upon the sleeping ocelot or
taoDy, or of the attitude, movement
and utterances which characterize a
cat at bay. there can, / think be no
Two opinions as to the cause or origin
and as to the protective value of the
hiss when uttered by helpless young
creatures such as those we have been
discussing. And if the latter part of
the case be admitted do not see where
the skeptic is to draw the line and say,
Th1s may be true protective mimicry,
but this must be accounted for on other
grounds
DR.. Robinson would be pleased If he
could regard the fluffy white tails of
rabbits as emblems of altruism on the
part of these engaging creatures He
has no doubt that the tails serve as
danger wher it is too dark for their
Drown bodies to be seen. but he sadly
dismisses the altruistic theory chow
Uncle ReHus would have appreciated
IT. and compares the arrangement Of
which the tails stand as evidence to
such highly civilized and prosaic
things as rates and taxes"
Certainly our rabbit or deer confers
benefit on his fellows at some expense
to himself. But we know-because of
the universal character of the above
law, IT for no other reason-that he
gets back from the community every
bit as much as he gives Thus
SupposlnS the life of ra bbit is threat
ened 20 times year "a very moderate
estlmate) through his rendering him
self specially visible. he receives more |
than 20 warnings from the caudal dan
ger signals of his fellow citizens of the |
presence OF dangerous foes which might |
otherwise kill him. The result, as L |
have said, is very much like what one |
finds in civilized human commune |
ties.
DR.. Robinson Ito take one more in
stance of his suggestive illustrations |
is inclined to defend the domestic pig
from the charge of greediness usually |
laid at its door He would have us re-
member that the hog in it's wild state
was obliged to devote all his attention
to food when he could get it. and to
put on as much flesh as possible so as
to last out through the winter upon
short commons.
You will thus see that the hog which
had amassed within his own private
band shilling's worth of adipose saw
ings more than his fellows would, in
an exceptionally protracted and incle-
ment winter. be one of the few to sur
vive. He would naturally transmit his
talents to his progeny and thus it comes
about that in the present day no animal
so handsomely responds to liberal feel
ng as the domestic hog.
Smart Bird.
Silverspot has hammered away at dr:ll.
eaching them all the signals and words
II command in use, and now il is q |
pleasure to see them IN the early morn
ng.
Company r" the old chieftain would
ny in crowd, and Company | would an
wer with a great clamor
Fly" and himself leading them,
hey would all fly straight forward
urned in a moment.
"Bunch." and they all massed into a
ense black flock
Scatter. and they spread out like
caves before the wind I
Form line," and they strung out into
ne long line of ordinary flight.
Descend and they all dropped ,
early to the ground.
FORAGE" and they alighted and scat :
cred about to feed, while two of the
ornament sentries mounted duty-one
n tree to the right, the other on
hound to the far left. A minute or two
tier Silverspot would cry out, "A man
18th a gun" The sentries repeated the
~ and the company flew at once in
pen order as quickly as possible toward
lie trees. Once behind these, they
,rmed line again in safety and re-
lrned to the home pines.-From Sill
erspot,' the Story of Crow by Ernest
eton Thompson, in the February
crbner's.