Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-02-17
Are PLAYING PART
Creatures of the Wild Use Ad-
vertising Tactics.
IN Love-Makina and the Wardina OF
OF Enemies, Employment Of
Publicity Is Common.


H value of advertising just as well as do
human beings is indicated by signs that
may be seen by any one who goes into
the country.
N OFTEN this advertising may be just
dodge on the part of the insect or ami
NAL to avoid the attentions Of another
creature who has designs upon him as
q delectable dinner morsel.
IS This popularity of nature is notice
able in regard to the butterfly, which is
an ingenious little publicity merchant.
certain kinds of butterflies have nox-
1ous qualities which are not to the lik-
lng of birds, but there are other species
Hhich are Just the reverse. The latter
B subsequently assume the colorings of
fhe former and so, by advertising their
undesirability as food, manage to pre-
Herve their lives, says an English
writer.
SCI The same tactics are adopted by bee
tiles, but 1t is from bird and animal life
that we get the best examples. Certain
kinds of snipe, for instance, set up pc
culiar shrek as soon as they catch
sight of shooting party, and this is
kept up until they have advertised far
md wide that the gunners are on the
Iookout.
M Wild sheep, also. are clever in this re-
4pect. They need only to see one of
* khe1r number at attention, with head
Qp and ears pricked forward. 10 become
4uspicious and ready for flight. Again.
When deer register the presence of a foe.
they send a signal to every member of
The band to be cautious.
M The wild below of the lion Is often
nttered not because he is angered and
ready to fight. He knows that to keep
away his foes he has but to remind
them of his power. and he does so by
4 proclaiming his strength far and wide.
81 With just the same object does the
rattlesnake shake its castanets. The
sound OF them reaches the ears of his
foes and. awed with the dreadful warn
ing of the snakes latent power, they
& rapidly disappear.
But 1t Is at the mating season in the
Il wild that the full power of publicity is
brought to bear. There is general
# Haunting of color and parade of
y strength, with the object of proving to
a possible mate how much more desir-
4 able than his rival each one is.
This competition for favor is particu-
aarly outstanding in bird life. and the
* display Of colors and ornaments to
catch the female eye is carried to per-
fection. The great peacock, while
conscious Of his beauty. at the same
time Is aware that his rival may be
Just as beautiful, and to oust him from
favor he tides himself up and. as 1t
were, puts on his Sunday best.
Birds of paradise wave their wonder
ful silky plumes. and the humming-bird
with great skill flashes his gems among
the flowers, making a perfect color
scheme.
Other birds, less fortunate In the
matter of color, find the power Of song
a great factor in gaining favor; so
these songsters chant their sweetest
melodies or chirrup and whistle as best
they can.
Even the numbering alligator knows
how TO advertise, and, in searching for
a bride, does his best to stage fight
so that the lady of his choice may see
him come forth the victor
The same applies, writes Ernest In
gersoll, in ''The Wit of the Wild" to
lions and tigers. and even the monkey,
so If you see any of those fellows vainly
strutting about at zoo, don't laugh.
They know what they are doingl