San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-11
Charles Payne, Naturalist,
Says Dogs and Migratory
Birds Excel Human Beings
in Some Senses-Tells
How Eagle Kills Jackrab-
bit-Takes Them Up and
Then Lets Them Drop.

To Charles Payne. naturalist of
Wichita, Kan, who is spending the
winter in San Antonio. nature is al
most perfect and though man is the
most perfect of the anime kingdom,
yet some of the lower forms excel him
in skill. Mr.. P-yne refers to the
sense of smell in the tracking dog. the
foreknowledge of approaching storm of
birds and wild animals, and other
senses which man does not have. That
mankind is the leader of them all,
however, Mr.. Payne shows by refer
ence to the science Of mathematics de-
veloped by men and their understand
ing of the solar system. Mr.. Payne's
discussion of animal life follows:
Mankind is the most perfect of ami
mails. He communicates with his kind,
more perfectly than other animals. He
deyises ways to utilize and control nat
ural things for his benefit, making
them more perfect for his use by his
skill. BY mathematics be can tell the
distance from our planet to most of the
other planets He knows their move
ments in their planetary systems; yet,
with all his ability. he is not equal
TO some other animals in some things.
"a foxhound or other tracking dog
can trail by scent, animals or men
many hours after they have passed
along. Some dogs can follow their
masters tracks through throngs of
streets Of cities and trail their mas
tiers. The migratory birds migrate just
before a storm approaches: they seem
to know of its coming. Fish and wild
game are very quiet before storm
comes on.
Some animals lay up provisions IN
the summer preparing for winter. Corn:
cotton. wheat, oats, fruit, flowers and
vegetable life have their season, to ma
ture. reproduce and pass on. Each has
its weapon of defense. The rose has
the thorn: the wasp. bee and hornet
have their sting. Many animals bite
kick. scratch or defend themselves IN
their own peculiar way.
Snakes Have Hunger Strikes.
"The skunk has two odOr glands
From these he throws liquid that has
an odor that is very offensive. Often
when these animals are captured. the
odor glands are removed and they be-
come harmless. The pole cat known
as the hydrophobia cat) is a small
spotted animal that is also very often
sive. Its bite often transmits hydro
phobia. They prowl around old houses
or camps at night and sometimes bite
the campers while they are asleep.
Snakes usually are not pugnacious I'M
less to defend themselves. A snake
will live about two years without eat,
ing. The big DEMONSTRATIONS most all
die from starvation when in captivity
unless they are fed artificially by force.
'The honey bee is governed by, a
queen, a monarchial government; they
have their working bees; also the
drones, these are the lords and dukes
of the monarchy; they do not labor
The queen does her duty nobly by lay
ing all the eggs. thus keeping up the
pedigree Of purity in the bee house
hold: she is treated roya and mas
the finest food that can be obtained
Ants Have Adequate" Army.
'"The ant is a wonderful creature I;
they also have a Ilonsrchisl ruler and
are wonderful workers and fighters
marshaling their armies with great skill