The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-05-22
HOW ANIMALS FIGHT.
MEANS ADOPTED BY QUAoRuPEDS
TO OVERTHROW THEIR ENEMIES.

AwkwardEess OF the Camel-Fterce Bat
ties of Trained Stations Among the
Northmen IL - The Old Crooks Loved u
Quail Fight - BATTLES Among Pigeons.
There are no wild beasts in Europe
suitable for the combats which Orlen-
tails love, or they would certainly have
been utilized Wolves look very prom
Using ald it might be thought that
such an ill-tempered animal as the
Russian bear could easily be reused to
fight a comrade; but we may be sure
that the experiment was tried OFTEN
enough to prove that in neither case
was it worth while to make match.
So our forefathers had to be content
with the hideous sport Of batting
which it not our theme. Had tney
possessed more ingenuity, however,
some diversions might have been oo-
tanned from stays. Even antelopes are
used in India. though they need train
ing. It is their nature to fight only at
the rutting season; to make them eag-
er for the fray at any time they must
receive special treatment. and above
all they must be kept in practice. But
that means a great consumption OF
artelopes, for they battle to the death,
and this variety of entertainment,
is not common. Elephants and tigers
are the favorite victims, of course; but
nothing profitable can be said about
their duels and certainly nothing
amusing.
A camel fight is rather curious. The
brutes have pair of teeth far back
in the jaw, which rival those of
tiger. and an old male is extremely
ferocious. knowing, however, that
these, their most terrible weapons,
are useless in a front attack-for,
vast as the camel's cape is, it cannot
be stretched wide enough to bring
them into action-they never try to
grip the head or neck or any vital part
of an antagonist. All their strategy
is directed to the object of seizing one
of his legs below the knee, and thus
overthrowing him by pressure; then
the huge teeth can be brought to bear
upon his throat. and he is no better
than a corpse. There are those who
deny that the camel has any sense at
all, and they appeal to everybody who
knows the beast by experience. The
camels way of fighting is mean and
awkward-the coup de Jarnac of quad
rupeds. But it is the one best suited
to Its anatomy. A very strong stom-
ach, however, and nose which has
lost the sense of smell are required
to enjoy this spectacle.
Of all combatS between beasts, per-
haps that between horse and tiger
is the most thrilling. We have read
several descriptions, and always, if we
remember right, the horse was the vic
tor. But it must be stallion, as cum
ming as brave. To avoid the tigers
spring, in a walled area of limited
extent, is impossible. The horse does
not try, it is only careful to face the
enemy, turning on the same spot as
: he circles round. At length the spring
is made; it sinks it's forequarters till
the knees almost touch the ground.
and the tiger lights, unsteadily, upon
its launches. Instantly the hind legs
last out, with such force that the brute
is thrown headlons, and if 1t does not
recover its feet in a second the battle
is over, so rapid and so heavy are the
Z kicks bestowed. In general, however,
there is another round" exactly sim
liar. and the tiger confesses itself beat
en-.
. Such a match, like fight of camels
has some interest; but the hammer
and tongs'' struggle between two ele-
plants. or an elephant and rhinocer-
os. must be almost as dull in reality AS
in description. Lions and tigers are
not much more scientific in their
methods. Oriental ingenuity, however
has devised some eccentricities in this
line. The old Greeks loved quail
fight, and the sport is to be witnessed
occasionally in southern Europe. Par
tridges are used in India. That curl
Gus book, "The Private Life of an
Eastern King" which made stir ip-
=eur grandfather's time. gives a~hTely
account Of -the<Ri<srsiop as practised
at the Court of Dude. When the table
was cleared every evening after din
ner two cock partridges were intro
9 duced. They trotted about, comfort
ably and friendly, being familiar with
: man, until a hen dropped between
them.
There is a fable of Lafontaine's,
loved by French children, which be-
gins, "Deux coqs vivaient en- paiX-ad-
vint une poule," etc. It's truth to ma
ture was demonstrated by the conduct
of those partridges, hitherto friendly,
which ruff1ed their feathers crowed,
and engaged upon the spot The king
would have half dozen mains be-
fore adjourning for more sophisticated
amusements in the drawing room"
Crows were substituted for the part
J ridges sometimes, but the stupid
chronicler only mentions this without
giving the details of the proceeding.
A crow fight should be droll. But
.they went one better" in Manipur.
= before CQS Wal, "uliS IAC N1cIAoi e~Je@A
and his noble kin spent al their time
in diversion, and employed the public
revenue for that object only, the aris-
tocratic sports were polo and pigeon
: fighting. The latter does not seem to
promise much amusement; but very
few of us can judge, for who in this
country has seen two doves in mortal
combat? Somehow the MOBILES of Mani
pur contrived to get match, and they
found it quite desperately exciting.
Common pigeons there. such as ma
tare~ designs for pies, fetched three
halfpence apiece, while proved speci-
men of the warrior class was valued
at -s3 or e4. But how they bore them
selves in fight is a mystery. Mrs.
? Grinwood often saw match as she
passed along the streets near the PAL
ace, but she could never understand