Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-14
ANIMAL ETIQUETTE.
Chivalry Among Dogs-The Moral
Standard of Foxes.

Every animal-lover can tell numer-
Gus stories illustrating the devotion of
animals to their human protectors.
Anecdotes of one animal risking its
life to save another are rare. but still
sufficiently numerous and authentic to
leave no doubt as to the occasional
existence OF a deep love between ami
mails But any close observer of ma
ture will know that there exists
throughout the brute creation sort
of rough moral system which, in the
case of domestic animals, translates
itself into what really amounts to a
code of etiquette.
The old proverb. 1.-THE dog with a
bone has many friends" is nothing
else than recognition of canine Ell
duette. 1t does not matter how small
is the dog with the bone. 1t may be
Pomeranian surrounded by mastiffs.
The mastiffs will still remain friendly.
They will hover round the Pomeran-
ian, perhaps whining for a morsel
(Which is never offered. and eagerly
picking up any splinter that may be
dropped, when nothing would be easier
than to bowl the little dog over and
seize the bone,
You will notice. further, that the lit
tie dog becomes filed with a new cour-
age, presumably in the moral consci-
business Of the justice of his claim, and
viii growl and even snap at a dog he
otherwise fears if the latter should
come too close
But the moment dog drops his
bone a new rule of etiquitte operates,
for 1t becomes the property of the first
dog who cares to pick it up. True. d
dispute will sometimes arise as to
whether the bone has actually been
dropped within the meaning of the
act. But once this is clear the law
of the bone will be observed by all
sac the exceptional "hooligan' dog,
met with occasionally, who outrages
all the laws of dogdom, even to the
biting of his master
Another rigid social law is that no
gentleman dog must ever, in any cir
cumstances, offer violence to a lady
dog. 1t is not the slightest use to
plead that she began it, If a female
should SO far forget herself, as not>in-
frequently happens, the mere male has
no alternative to enduring her snaps
save seeking safety in flight.
Of course a dog, being only canine
after all, will sometimes, under severe
proVocation, break this law But if he
is one OF pack It is ten to one that
the other males will set upon him and
mete out severe punishment for his
grave offence.
Moreover, although a dog is quite
Dntfflal 70
and take him unawares, he may not
do SO If the other is eating or drinking.
Dogs are by no means the only ami
mails that have a distinct sense of
property The squirrel regards his
tree much as the dog regards his bone.
He has a definite right to it, both as
dwelling and means of subsistence;
and on the rare occasions when anoth-
er squirrel disputes the right or blum
ders accidentally on his tree, he will
fight fiereely in defence of that which
the law of the woods allows him to re-
gard as his own. If he wishes to for
age afield. he must choose a tree that
has not been appropriated by one of
his tribe.
Foxes, too, have a clear knowledge
thine" Farmers may net have MOTTO
ed it perhaps, but this is probably be-
cause it only applies to other foxes
Nearly all breeds have their own areas
and refrain from trespassing on those
of their neighbors.
Mr.. Thompson Seton. the well-known
naturalist and hunter. has stated that
amongst particular breed of foxes
the blue foxes of Alaska, which are
homogeneous, there exists such a re-
spect for the marriage tie" that If a
female loses her mate she viii practi-
cally never take another. He tells the
story of a hunter who in all serious
ness, remarked. Until we can break
down the high moral standard of these
foxes our profits will be greatly cur
tailed. Tit Bits