Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-08

to a great extent among lower animals.
Rocks among the most noted and determin-
ed creatures in the whole world In their bully
ing of an unpopular comrade
He was a young rook-a bird of the previous
season-and apparently joined the rookery from
another neighborhood. He was constantly fol-
lowed about by two of the other rocks.
who appeared to cav derisively and poke fun at
him There or two attempts to make
him leave, but he would not go, and finally a
great meeting of the whole regiment was held
while he was away feeding. There great
discussion and cawing, and when he returned he
was brought before court-martial
The officers of the rook battalion eventually
pulled to pieces the nest he and his mate had
built, hinging the, sticks to the ground, after
which they set on him and plucked him till he
was nearly Bare of feathers. At last, buffeted,
pecked and more dead than alive, he was hustled
out of the rookery for good and all. Such cases
are frequent, and occur every year
SPITEFUL RABBITS.
Rabbits harmless as most people suppose them,
are most rnercess "raggers' when their regi-
mental customs are offended against, though the
cases are not so frequent in the bird world
Tn a large warren, especially in those among the
cliffs and downs of the South Coast, a young
buck rabbit will become very unpopular with the
rest Of the community, and here again it seems
to be largely matter of uniform.
It seems strange that beasts of the field should
objects to a certain color of fur but the fact
mains that is is nearly always rabbit OF red
dish-tawny hue-an uncommon, but far from un-
known type-that is objected to.
In the winter he is generally tolerated, but so
surely as summer comes round he is set upon and
surrounded one evening by from score to fifty
comrades. and either driven right away, or so
buffeted bitten, and kicked-old buck rabbits can
kick strongly-that he often succumbs under the
ill-treatment. Oddly enough, it only the
tawnv color that offends. Black or white rabbits
are not uncommon in warrens, but the remainder
of the colony does not object to them.
BIRDS CRUEL TO FELLOWS.
Wild geese. and, in fact, wild fowl of nearly all
kinds are particularly cruel as "raggers," for they
vent their worst spite on a wounded comrade.
Anv member of flock, or "gaggle" as it is call
ed of wild geese that has the misfortune to be
nrcked by the shot of fowler's gun and wound
ed but not brought down, has a very bad time OF
it. He does his best to keep up with the rest Of
the flock but when they are out of reach of the
enemy and have regained their composure, they
turn mon the wounded comrade and iltreat him
till he flies for his life.
Some people believe it is the smell of blood that
tbe rest of the flock object to- and Others that a
cripped bird is danger to the community, and
so is barred" The banished bird lives alone,
sometimes for weeks until he RECEIVERS dies.
These solitary geese are called pensioners by
those who shoot wild fowl for a living.
Even the cheerful and companionable dog will
occasionally rag" an offender whole COM
munity deciding that certain member is an
desirable In packs of hounds this is not
common, the whole pack sometimes cutting
dead" dog they dislike, and eventually falling
on and ill-treatng him till he has to be rescued