The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-05-14
and ends his career with a bullet
through his wicked brain.

".
In the chapter on wild Animal
Criminals and Crime" DIR. Hornaday
produces mass of evidence to show
that it is only in captivity, with its
loss of freedom. exemption from the
daily fear of death. and food with
out work. that the latent criminal
instincts of wild animals come to
the surface. Under these conditions
crimes have been committed which
are remarkable in their cunning.
DR.. Hornaday tells the story Of
Lopez, a big jaguar, whose murder
OF his mate is the only murder
among lions, tigers, leopards jaguaro
and pumas in the history of the
New York Geological Park.
For year Lopez pretended. os-
: tentatiously. to be a good natured
animal! Twenty times at least he
acted the part Of a playful pet, in
wiling me to reach in and stroke
him. AT last We decided to give
him cage-mate, and a fine adult
female jaguar was purchased. The
animals actually tried to caress
each other through the bars, and
the big male completely deceived
us, one and all.
At the end of two days it was
considered safe to permit the fe-
male jaguar to enter the cage of
Lopez. She was just as much de-
ceived as we were. An animal that
is afraid always leaves it's travel
ing cage slowly and unwillingly,
or refuses to leave it at ALL When
the two sets of doors were opened
the female walked joyously into
the cage of her treacherous adj
mirer. In an instant Lopez rushed
upon her. seized her whole neck in
his powerful jaws and crushed her
cervical vertebrae by his awful
bite. We beat him over the head;
We spiked him; we even tried to
brain him: but he held her. as a
bulldog would hold a cat until she
was dead. He had determined to
murder her, but had cunningly
concealed his purpose until his VIC
tim was fully in his power.
DR.. Hornaday rates the chimpan-
zee as the most intelligent of all AMI
mails below man. He is convinced
that the chimpanzee can learn more
by training. and learn more easily.
than any other animal. He places
the orang- next to the CHM
panzee, and the Indian elephant as
third in mental capacity. The do
nestle dog is given a rating equal
with the orang-utan. but he does not
come within the scope of the book
and receives only passing mention.
The high class cog. DIR. Hornaday
observes, is the animal that is in
closest touch with the mind. the feel
ings and the impulses of man, and
is the only one that can read a mans
feelings from his eyes and facial ex-
preston.
The most remarkable instance OF
wild animal intelligence recorded in
the book is the story of a gorilla
whose personal history was written
out for DIR. Hornaday by Miss Alyse
Cunningham of London, who with
her nephew. Major Rupert Penny,
kept the animal under observation
in a London apartment. The report
goes into detail concerning Johns
use of tools, his games. table man
ners. sense of order, and other mat
tiers. To quote only what Miss
Cunningham has TO say about Johns
capacity for original thought:
One day we were going out. for
which l was sitting ready dressed,
when John wished to sit in my lap
My sister, Mrs Penny, said:
Don't let him. He will spoil your
dress" AS my dress happened to
be light one | pushed him away,
and said NO" He at once lay on
the floor. and cried just like a
child for about a minute. Then
he rose. looked around the room.
found a newspaper. went and
picked IL up, spread ii on my lap
and climbed up. This was quito
The cleverest thing 1 ever saw him
10. Even those who saw il sAa
they would not have believed It
had they not seen ii themselves
10th my nephews Major Penny