Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-06-30
Animal Loves and Hatreds.

Not only is it true that animals,
both domestic and wild, show decided
preferences for certain persons, and a
strong dislike to other individuals, but
whole races of creatures often show
universal hatred toward other species.
In legends of ancient times this was
noticed; always arrayed against each
other were the otter and the crocodile,
the hart and the dragon, the unicorn
and the elephant.
Perhaps the most interesting cases
of dislikes are those which are inher-
tied; fear for the natural enemies of
certain weaker species being so strong
that even the young Just born may ex-
perience it. Allherds Of cows and cat
tie hate dogs instinctively.
Can we not trace this to the time,
long ago, when the wild herds
were always in danger of being attacked
by wild dogs or wolves, which SUNK
about the outskirts of the herd, and
watched with hungry eyes every chance
to cut out and pull down helpless
calf?
To fight like "cats and dogs" has
become a proverb, and we must admit
there is abundant basis for its truth
In,domestic cats this Is doubtless an
inherited instinct, which in one of its
larger relatives we can verify today.
In India the tiger is king, almost.
Deep in the Jungle she makes her
lair, says the Washington Times, and
the cubs have few enemies, indeed.
Bear or tiger-cat when they inadver-
tently come across the lair trail of the
great striped one, back-trail, and rap
idly, too.
It is doubtful if even the great py-
thon would disturb one of the little
furry kittens. But the : acks Of wild
dogs are without fear, and would kill
and eat the cubs and defy the parent
when she returned.
Well she knows this, and also that
although she might slay dozen, yet
the others would pin her down, rip
ping her flesh, careless if they died or
not, So tiger in captivity will scru-
tinize a wolf without much show Of an
ger, but pity the dog that comes with
in reach. If she cannot get at him, her
wrath Of memory will vent itself in
and fierce endeavors on the bars Of
her cage.
A leopard which lives SO much
among the trees and could 50 easily
escape the attacks ofwild dogs, has no
instructive hate, although dog is
titbit which would be by no means des-
pissed. The fact is well known to dogs,
which show their fear of these arbo-
real felinef, while they mob tigers and
other terrestrial cats. Pumas comes
under the same head as leopards, and
are held in as great respect by dogs.
In Zoos the animals generally show
dislike to children and cripples; in
the first instance, doubtless, because
they are teased more by the young
sters, and in the second place because
of the stronge horror and hate which
many animals show Of the abnormal,
or conditions out of the usual, for dis
eliminating between which they have
remarkable ability.
Monkeys hate negroes, but this dis
like of dark-skinned men is not con-
fined only to the above mentioned class
of animals. 1t is said that when Mr..
Hagenback's Somalis were at the
Crystal Palace they were invited one
Sunday to see the Zoo, whittier they
went one Sunday accompanied by Mr..
Menzies, the African explorer and
hunter, who had brought them from
Somaliland.
There was nothing to which the
most sensitive European could object
in the appearance of these free, half
Arab tribesmen, but when the dark
men entered the lion house there wac
an uproar. The animals were furious;
they roared with rage. The apes and
monkeys were frightened and angry,
the antelopes were alarmed, and even
the phlegmatic wild cattle were ex-
cited. They recognized their natural
enemies, the dark-skinned men who
had hunted them for centuries in the
jungles and the bush. and with whom
their own parents did battle when they
were captured and carried off captive
n the Nubian deserts.