The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-05-29
THE CRIMINAL INSTINCT.

1t Exists In the Animal Glass ~
Well as In Man.
1t has been proved beyond Qusstiaa
that in the animal kingdom there are
many curious equivalents Of crime
among men, Cannibalism is not UNI
known in the animal world. Wolf eats
wolf, and In certain circumstances, and
despite proverbs to the contrary, dog
will eat dog. Well nourished dogs are
not often guilty of this savage custom,
though 1t has been observed where me-
cessity did not impel, but arctic travel
ers have frequently fed their famishsd
Eskimo team on the carcasses Of b9Q&Ap
rem that died from effects Of cold o.
hunger, and under such condit1Uns
mothers have devOured their puppAew
with no hesitation or lack Of appett1A
Domestic cats have killed and eaten
their young, and rabbits have been
known to feed on one another even
when plentifully supplied with food to
their liking. The rat Is nearly always
cannbal under stress Of circum-
stances.
The cannibalistic propensities Of the
pike need very little stimulus. Young
crocOdiles are occasionally gobbled By
their parents or at least by their moth
ers. Warrior ants devour in fury the
ants they have killed in battle.
A certain famous case In a reptile
house of a geological garden was evil
IDENTIFY not one Of genuine canniboiism.
but serpents have been guilty Of the
act Infanticide, patricide, matricide
and fratricide are aggravating circuHa-
stances of cannibalism in the animal
world. There are crimes known to our
calendar of which the only or the chief
motive appears to be the inveterats
dislike of one Individual (the assaiiant)
for another (the assaulted). and theSs
strange antipathies exist In the AMI
NAL world and are the cause Of assault
and battery and often Of the deakA Of
both parties. Horses, dogs aAd mon
keys furnish many examples q vso-
lence proceeding from antipathy.
The sudden gusts of uncontroilable
rage which lmpel the Malay 10 ron
amuck through his native high street
seize at times upon the gentlest Of an
imals, and the results are much tie
same as in the Malay peninsula unless
the subject of his brief, terrible nA4-
ness can be caught or slain. DiReronk
are the cases of animals proVerbial feR
their patience which may be goaded In
to fury. The dromedary, ordinarily
model Of good behavior, is sometimes
leased by his drivers until they are
compelled to fee before his rage or to
strip off and throw him their garments.
that he may tear and trample them to
pieces Every one knows to what 3
pass the docile elephant will carry his
desire for revenge when his dignity has
been badly insulted or his good nature
abused.
More curious it Is to note that among
animals, as among men, some Of me
worst offenses that can be committed
have their origin in the passion Of love.
Jealousy burns hercely In many q
brute's bosom, and when affected with
the universal distemper OF love" the
whole animal creation, from the tiger
to the dove, is capable of any excuses
against its disturbers, whether Of its
own or the human kind. Association
for deliberate purposes OF wrongdo!n9
is not rare among animals both OF the
higher and the lesser order Of inteali-
gence Other animals steal In bands.
Balloons go out in troops to rob or
chards difficult of access. Conditions
Of climate and change Of atmosphere
have their influence upon the tempera-
ments of animals Speaking generally,
wild creatures inhabiting very hot
countries are more savage than those
inhabiting cold or temperate ciimes--
New York Herald.