Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-03-28
ANIMALS THAT WEEP.
Man Not the Only Creature That
sheds Tears.

man Not the only Creature That
Sheds Tears.
The weeping Knock turtle" in "Alice
In Wonderland and the walrus in the
same classic who held "his pocket
handkerchief before his streaming
eyes" arc not wholly creatures of the
imagination II we may believe II. Hen
ri Coupin. writing in La Nature Of
Paris. He quotes numerous authors
ties to show that many animals shed
real tears and for the same reasons
that cause human beings to weep. He
intimates also that there Is fruitful
field for Investigation along this and
similar lines. Says NJ. Coupin:
Laughing is believed to be peculiar
to man, but the same is not true of
weeping, which Is Il manifestation of
emotion that is met with in divers an
imals.
among the creatures that weep
most easily we may first mention the
ruminants. with whom the act is so
we'll known that 1t has given rise to a
trivial but accurate expression. TO
weep like calf Among these ami
mails the facility of shedding tears is
explained by the presence of supple
mcntary lachrymal apparatus.
All hunters know that the stag
weeps. and we are also assured that
the bear sheds tears when it sees it's
last hour approaching. The giraffe is
not less sensitive. as might be expected
In SO gentle n creature, and regards
with fearful eyes the hunter who has
wounded 1t.
IF we are to credit Gordon Cum
ming, the Gland AFRICAN antelope) acts
In the same way. He says of one Of
these animals that he had pursued for
long time: 'Flecks of foam flew from
its mouth. Abundant sweat had given
Its gray skin an ashy blue tint Tears
fell from its great black eyes. and 1t
was evident that the Gland felt that it's
last hour had come
Dogs weep quite easily. If their
master goes away. for instance, leay-
ing them tied, they bark. with tears
both In their eyes and In their voices.
The same is true of certain monkeys
The Cebus azarn weeps when its wish
es are opposed or when 1t Is frightened,
and the eyes Of the Callithrix sciureus
fill ut once with tears when it is seized
with terror.
The aquatic mammals. too. are able
to weep Thus all authors agree in
saying that dolphins ut the moment of
death draw deep signs and shed tears
abundantly. "A young female seal has
also been seen to weep when leased by
sailor St Hilaire and Cuvier assure
us TINT on the authority of the Malays
When young dungong Is captured the
mother is sure to be taken also. The
little ones then cry out and shed tears.
These tears are collected with care and
preserved as u charm that is certain to
make a lovers affection lasting.
las for the elephant. there is album
dant evidence of the ease with which
1t weeps. Sparrman assures us that it
sheds tears when wounded or when 1t
sees that 1t cannot escape. Its tears
roll from Its eyes like those Of human
being in attliction. Tennent. speaking
Of captured elephants. says that some
remain quiet. lying OH the ground with
out manifesting their grief otherwise
than by the tears that battle their eyes
and run constantly down
"Such are the principal animals that
have been reported as shedding tears.
Doubtless they will become more pu.
merous when we have taken the trou-
bic to observe the same phenomena in
other species. advise those who wish
to give attention to the matter to note
carefully the circumstances in which
the tears have manifested themselves.
From the examples given above it will
be seen that tears have about the same
emotional significance in animals us in
man, but to establish the certainty of
this we should have many more in
stances"