The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-03-31
CHIVALRY AMONG BRUTES.
IT IS FOUND THERE AS WELL AS
 IN THE HUMAN ANIMAL.

Canine Consideration tor tho SmnI
 nnd Weal-Beasts and Birds That
 Hasten to Answer the Cry of the
 Young-ChivaIrous Treatment of the
 sGemtIer Sex.v
 One of the most delightful things
 about our own species is it's colossal,
 but quite unconscious conceit. Until
 within the past few generations it
 would scarcely have even occurred to us
 to doubt that we were the central fg-
 uhe of the universe and that our fate
 was the chief concern of the gods.
 With an equally naive selt-satisfactlon
 we have quietly arrogated to ourselves
 the sole possession of moral sense.
 We cannot deny to our animal cousins
 the possessions of many indeed nearly
 all of the primitive Virtues--atfectlon,
 courage, loyalty and faithfulness to the
 death; but we do deny them the moral
 credit for them, on the ground that they
 are the result of mere instinct
 The position is one which, for the sake
 of our own peace of mind, it were best not to pry into too curiously as we
 should, I fear, find ourselves face to
 face with the discomforting fact that not only are many of the best and mo-
 blest things of which we are capable
 done purely on instinct, but also some
 of our worst and crueleSt actions from
 a sense of duty, or for "conscience'
 sake" So that before an impartial
 bar, we might well find difficulty in proving that the practical conduct of many animals does not somehow man. age to reach as high an average as our own.
 The attitude of animals toward the young of their own species is, l think, almost uniform most of us having seen
 probably instances of it. l was once the proud possessor of fine English setter, dog of handsome presence and one who took a most Hibernian delight in the "fog O fightin',' and extremely jealous to the degree of quarrelsome- hess, of every rival that came about the place. He would face any dog, and, in- deed had thrashed and been recognized as the master of most of the neighbor- hood, but if young puppy or kitten were suddenly presented to him he would turn tail and flee in apparently abject terror. Upon several occasions l tried the experiment. of holding him with one hand by the collar and pre- senting the sprawling and whining ob- ject with the other and it was really comical to see. how he would shrink and shut his eyes, turn his face aside and whimper, just as if I had been thrust Ning burning brand into his face. If he came into the house and found pup py {of which there were usually one or two in stock in those days) sprawling upon the hearth rug, he would turn and bolt as if he had seen a snake, and re- fuse to return until he thought the coast was clear. And several of my hounds appeared to possess this cur- ous puppy dread" in less degrees.
 It might also be mentioned in this connection that, as a rule, no dog of | size or courage will condescend to at- tack a smaller or obviously weaker dog, | unless the remarks and actions of the 1 Natter become insulting beyond endur-
 Ae. The little dog seems to realize ]
 Athoroughly, so that it may almost
 lkenl as general rule that the | :5ii1ssl{cr the dog the more quarrelsome [ and abusive he is.
 ] MY llLtlt IOA leIIlSI WOulu lily dI ndlI the dogs Ahe met apparently knowing that the big ones would either pay lit- tie attention to him or let him off easi- ly, without making pursuit, and feeling a well founded confdGnce that he could < give good account of most of the small or medium sized ones in a rough and ready street fight, which, as rule, nev- CT lasts more than one or two rounds, and in which all the advantage is on the side of the aggressor.
 My bull terrier on the other hand, would avoid almost every attack that was made upon him, if it were possible ito do so without displaying positive cowardice. Even where he judged it necessary to do something, instead of trying to take hold he would content himself with single wolf-like slash of his great canines, often without even his stride, as he raced after my buggy, and this was usually 
 A splendid Great Dane of almost lion color and size, would usually absolute ly refuse to fight with small or even medium sized dogs. or, if he did, would content himself with knocking them over and holding them down with his huge paws. This, by the way, was ex- cellent policy, also, for his assailadlt was thus not only defeated, but made to look ridiculous as we'll thing far more keenly dreaded and vividly re- by most dogs. But even chivalry has it's drawbacks. It is not as a rule, to go out walking witfl dogs which vary widely in size, for if you do, the little dog will start the quarrels and the big one promptly join in to assist his friend, and you will have no end of complications on your hands from the combination.
 This sense of obligation to interfere actively on behalf of the younger or weaker members of their species is widely spread throughout the animal kingdom. In attempting to capture young pigs, which have escaped from their pen, and are running at large among the herd of perhaps fifty or six ty grown hogs, it is necessary to be 1 most circumspect in yaur method of picking up a youngster for if once his shrill squeal of distress is raised you wills have the entire herd down on you 1t once, bristles up, tuslls gnashing and fierce, barking War-cry ringing. It |