The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1909-04-15

S4i1 lSlAtlG UT @ pared iOr mat BREEDING
| season only, the male staying with tho
family and sharing the care Of the
young until they are well grown, af
ter which the parents may or may not
resume their fellowship. This is ad-
mirable. 1t is seen in hawks. A third.
In which the pair cOnsort for life, but
the death Of one leaves the other free
TO mate again. This is ideal. It is the
way Of wolves. a fourth, in which they
pair for life and in case Of death the
survivor remains disconsolate and
alone to the end. This seems absurd.
It is the way of the geese.
Mans Bad Influence.
I'm making observations one is ham,
pered by the fact that association with
man has always been ruinous to the
morals of animals. There can be no
doubt that the dog, now promiscu.
Gus, was originally a homogeneous
creature. One of the great difficulties
besetting the growing Of blue foxes for
their fur on the islands Of the Boring
Sea, is what has been called the OBJ
stinate and deplorable monogamy Of
those animals. The breeders are work.
ing hard to break down this high moral
sentiment and produce a blue fox that
does not object to polygamy, promiscu-
ity, or any other combination, and so
remove all sentimental obstacles to
their experiments
ITO sum up; there is evidence that
in the animal worlu there has long
been a cropping after an ideal form Of
marriage. Beginning with promiscuity,
they have worked through many stages
into pure monogamy; and, other things
equal, the species, owing to natural
laws are successful in proportion as
they have reached it, and, therefore,
have developed an instructive recogni-
ton of the Seventh Commandment"
Top.Notchers in Matrimony.
The fox, the wolf, the goose, and the
appear to have reached
a top notch position in matrimonial
and one is not surprised to
learn that the first of them has been
selected as a hero Of romance.
In my story" said Mr. Seton, Il
trace Domino Keynard's career until he
is in his prime, and there / leave him
without recounting any possible tragic
ending, For the basis Of my incidents,
as l have said | used the observations
hat / made in the cases Of many foxes
Thus, there is the foX's fidelity to one
mate through life. Then there is his
lssiduity as a father to his young. The
fox is an excellent father, and so as a
rule are the male members Of the dog
'amily-excepting Of course, the do
nestle dog, whose moral character has
Jeen ruined through domesttcation
Unfortunately, however in the case OF
he fox, the parental bond disappears
entirely when the young Of the family
grow up. That was an exceedingly dis
appointing fact which l was forced,
to recognize in making
Up my story.
There is another curious domestic
tradition, as you might call it, in the
married life Of the fox. l have made
t the subject of one of the illustrations
accompanying the story Of Domino
1eynard;' the enforced absence OF the
male fox for a certain period surround
ng the birth Of his offspring. Curious
y enough the same rule is observed
.mong the lower orders Of the human
mother gives birth TO her
hild in secrecy, nor is the husband al
owed to see 1t until it is several
lays old. In my story l thus picture
he fox who is about to became a moth
r coming out to take drink OF water
nd there signaling to Domino Rey-
ard, the husband, that he is to keep
way At such times find the father
f the family does not return until his
ewborn offspring have their eyes
pen"
But their practice Of monogamy,
ow have you been able to prove that?"
ras asked. 1T must be impossible to
ollow one fox season after season
through the woods and thus be assured
hat he always remains true to one
wife"
Methods Of Observation.
"In that matter l have trusted not
My to my own observations; l have
ought corroborative evidence as well
rom those who are thoroughly CONVEX
ant with the lore Of the woods as they
ave been able to gather 1t for them
elves rather than from books. / have
lready given the testimony Of the Ber-
ng Sea fox breeders who find them
elves seriously hampered by the OBJ
innate devotion Of the male fox to one
wife. Then | ask Indians whom meet