54 Kansas Academy of Science. 



and often without the excuse of the necessity for self-preservation, but merely for 

 the greed of gain. There is no excuse for it in either case, except the cruel and 

 heartless law that might makes right. 



But for the practice of the cruelty promjjted by the instinct of self-preservation, 

 there is an amount of reasoning power exhibited by animals by the expedients em- 

 ployed in emergencies, that we cannot but admire while we deplore the motive. This 

 is strikingly illustrated by those incidents so familiar to all students of natural his- 

 tory, wherein a considerable amount of reasoning is employed, of judging from cause 

 to effect, of complicated strategy, etc., for the purpose of obtaining food, either by 

 deceiving and entrapping other animals, or to secure inaccessible vegetable food. 

 Such incidents display a knowledge of the habits of other animals, or of the qualities 

 of natural products, which could come only from intelligent observation — the same 

 methods of reasoning, perhaj^s, that are employed by man in attaining the same 

 knowledge. These powers are employed also, of course, in self-protection, and in 

 attempts to escape from pursuit, and often with the greatest success. 



But here we are glad to record that this intelligence is not always exercised for 

 self alone, but often in an unselfish way for the benefit of other individuals. Strong 

 animals thus often assist the weaker ones; those which appeal to heart-like sympathy 

 by their helplessness, either through sickness or injury. They will protect such un- 

 fortunates from the attacks of others, take them to shelter, carry them food if unable 

 to be led to it, and perform other unselfish acts, which are prompted purely by love 

 and friendship. Not only is this of common occurrence with dogs and other animals 

 of higher intelligence, but of many lower vertebrates, and even of the invertebrates. 

 Snails have been known to display this affection and care of the stronger for the 

 weaker. Indeed, the strong often suffer by the willing sacrifice of food to the weak, 

 and go hungry. And beyond that they will sometimes give their lives for that of a 

 companion, or for man. Surely human devotion and love can go no further than 

 that. Such manifestations of affection and friendship are pleasant to record, as 

 they stand out in such vivid contrast against the background of universal animal 

 cruelty. In this connection we also note the expressed sympathy and affection dis- 

 played for companions in suffering and distress. Ants have been observed to exhibit 

 this feeling; and it is common among the higher vertebrates. 



Then, again, we must note with pain too frequent inexplicable cruelty exhibited 

 by the ruthless destruction of wounded or disabled companions. Even the domestic 

 animals sometimes practice this. We cannot understand if this is because they wish 

 to put the sufferer out of misery, or the fear that the cries or blood may attract fierce 

 carnivora; but it must be an inherited impulse. 



A marked instance of ethical feeling, of regard for the rights of others, is exhib- 

 ited in animals which associate in numbers for mutual advantage to capture prey 

 and then mutually grant a division of the food so obtained. This displays thought- 

 fulness for each other, and honesty as regards partnerships. It also indicates some 

 intelligence in appreciating the value of association and cooperation, and is one of 

 the many instances which necessitates some mode of communication by which there 

 is mutual understanding. There is a sense of duty and of obligation which compels 

 a fair division and recognizes equal rights. We must give such animals credit for 

 not indulging in cannibalism, even when excessively hungry, although they do com- 

 mit a cruel crime in destroying wounded companions. In this association we must 

 give them credit for mutual confidence and fidelity, and perhaps of affection — for 

 who can tell what friendships may exist even among the most savage animals? 

 Then bees and ants rise to higher level in their complicated communities, in which 

 there is such a division of labor and mutual understanding as to closely resemble 

 human community life. 



