Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-06-07
THE CRIMINAL INSTINCT.
It Exists In the Animal Class M
Well ns In MINI.

wen nS III alnn.
1t has been proved beyond question
That in the animal Kingdom there arc
many curious equivalents Of crime
among men. CnInbaism Is not un.
known In the animal world. Wolf catf
wolf, AMI in certain circumstances, ,nt;
despite proverbs TO the contrary, dog.
will cat dog. We'll nourshcd dogs arc
not often guilty of this savage custom,
though it has been observed where ne
ccssity lid not impcl. but arctic travel
rrs have frequently fed their furnished
Eskimo team OH the carc;,SscS OF broth
rcn that dic;l from effects Of cold or
hunger, and under such conditions
mothers have lcvonrcl their puppies
With no hesitation or lack of appetite.
Domestic cats have Killed ami eaten
their young. and rabbits have been
known to feed OH one another even
when plcntifully supplied with food 10
their liking. The rat Is nearly always
Il cannbal under stress of circum.
stances
Tie cannil'alisiic propcnsi,irs OF Tie
pike need Very little stimulus. Young
croco'iiics are occasionally gObblcd by
their parents or ut least by their moth
crS. Warrior ants dcvour in fury the
ants they have killed in battle.
y certain famous case I'm reptile
house OF Il geological garden was cvi-
lcntiy not one of genuine c;lnnibalisn.
but scrprnts have hcrn guilty OF The
act. lnfantci,lc. patricidc. matricidc
and fratr!cidr arc agGravating circum-
stances of cnnnibaliSm IN the animal
world. There are crimes known to our
calendar Of which the only or the chief
motive appears to he the Invctcratc
dislike OF ono individual dhe asslilan)
for anotlct Uhc assaulted. and these
strange antipathics exist in the ami
NAL world AMI are the cause of assault
nnd battery and often of the death Of
both parties. Horses. dogs and mon
keys furnish many examples of VIC
lcncc proceeding from antipathy.
The sudden gusts of uncomfortable
rage which impcl the Malay to run
amuck through his native high street
seize ut times u!pn the gcntlcst of nm
imals. and the results are much the
same as in the Malay peninsula unless
the subject of his brief, terrible mad
ness can he caught or slain. Different
are the cases of animals prOvcrhial for
their patience which may be goadcd in
to Il fury. Tie dromcdary. ordinarily
model of good behavior. is sometimes
leased by his drivers until they are
compelled to flee before his rage or Ia
strip off and throw Him their garments,
that he lnay tear and tramplc them to
pieces. Every one knows to what Il
pass the locic elephant will carry his
desire for revenge when his dignity has
been badly insutcd or his good nature
abused
More curious 1t Is TO note that among
animals. MS among men, some of tho
worst offcnscs that can he committed
have their origin in the passion of love.
Jealousy burns iicrccly in many Il
brnte's bosom. ana Wien affected with
the universal dstemper of love" tho
whole animal creation, from the tiger
to the dove, Is capable of any excuses
against its disturbcrs, whether Of Its
own or the human kind. Association
for deliberate purposes of wrongdoing
Is not rare among animals both Of the
higher and the lesser order of intelli-
Gencc. Other animals steal In bands.
Balloons go out in troops TO rob or
chards difficult OF nccess. Conditions
OF climate and change Of atmosphere
have their influence upon the tcmpera-
mcnts of animals. Speaking generally,
wild creatures inhabiting very hot
countries arc more savage than those
inhabiting cold or temperate cllmes.-
New York Herald.