Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-04
SCHOOL FOR ANIMALS
To Study Their Intelligence
and Morality.
INTERESTING w DIRK
BEASTS THAT SHOW SIGNS OF
SORROW AND JOY.
The Saucy Llama-Affectionate Seals
a Homesick Tapir-The In
genious Wonbat.


VERSAILLES, March "a, 1903.
What may be called the one and only
university of animals is situated in this
nroud old town. some twelve miles from
Paris. 1t is the Institute of Geological Psy-
chology and the work of its founder Mon
sieur p Hachet -Souplet and his staff con-
sists in studying the intelligence and moral
ity of beasts.
The institute gives every beast fair
chance 1t has no prejudices Thus. one
of its first triumphS was to relieve the
South American llama of the unjust crit
icism that has weighed on the gentle crea-
ture since the discovery of his land by the
Spaniards some four hundred years ago.
The particular llama that submitted itself
to the study of the institute did not know
the object of its visit. Being. brought to
Versailles in a horse ambulance from the
Jardin d Acclimatation without notice, it dis
played at once the unfortunate characters
tic to which its owes its bad name. 1t
spat in the face of Monsieur P. Hachet-
Souplet.
There is no denying that the llama splits
For this reason Partisan nursemaids name
It the Saucy Llama. Perambulating their
young charges through the ZOO they resort
to it at need as an awful example, because
when the Paris child is naughty he shows
his tongue makes a mouth and SpitS Nurse
cries with an air of panied surprise: ITEMS,
tiens This child is like the Saucy Llama
Come. Monsieur Georges let US see the
beast you so resemble"
It's Only Weapon
1t is sufficient to bring any Paris child
to order; to be Hkened to a "bete." or
'beast," is awful. When nurse pokes the
unsuspecting llama with her parasol. first
into fright. then into anger, it spits. Nurse
Is however. wrong when she attributes the
unlovely gesture to a like unlovely char
acter. With her the world has been wrong
ABOUT the llama. Monsieur Hachet- Souplet
mas proved that the llama never spits ex-
cept when instinct tells it to defend itself
1T has no other weapon-and it's splitting is
sufficient Splitting, II defies its enemies
ne unique act scareS all other animals,
There is no other animal that spits?'' I
sald 10 the member of the institute who
showed me round The cat does not count.
because her splitting is an accidental ac-
compartment of her Kissing and snarlinp
is 1t not? She does not take aim like the
Hama"
only one other creature splits frankly.
with deliberate purpose" was his answer
This is the splitting fish, or toxote of the
rivers of the Malay archipelago. This -tox-
ote though plain fish. living entirely in
the water. makes its sole food of small
winged insects Rising to the surface Of
the river, it perceives its game reposing on
leaf of plant overhanging the wafer
ThlS nrSt inventor of the shotgun fills its
mouth with water. 1t pokes its head out
OF the stream. 1t takes aim. Then forci-
bly, contracting its mouth il souirts n
thread of water. often fifteen inches long
which overwhelms the insect and brings II
down like squirrel with load of shot in
his skim 80
Good Marksmen.
1.-THE curious thing is that the toxota On
seldom misses his mark" continued nv in
formant. THE Dutch of Java carefullv
preserve these fish in small aouari,ns and
encourage them to practice long-distanca
shots by placing tempting game ALWAYS n
little further from them. Thus there are
sports or Batavia who will bet $500 on the
range and accuracy of their pet toxote: and
toxote matches form one of the distractions
of the capital"
las to the Hama" 1 said. 'he has one
trait that shows him In a less innocent
Hight Last summer an acquaintance of
mine used to tease one of the alpacas at
the Jardin d Acclimatation and the animal
certainly took a dislike to him Well. one
AFTERNOON. as we stood in front of the in
closure talking. this particular llama, with
out provocation sneaked up and spit in nv
friends face"
A Proof Of Intelligence.
That revengeful disposition is a proof OF
nigh intelligence" answered the member of
the Institute of Geological Psychology.
when vengeance Is legitimate 1t implies
rude sense Of Justice In this sense the
eggplant is ths most highly endowed Of all