116 THE DESCENT OF MAN. 



lived free in Norfolk, took " an extravagant interest " in a 

 pair with a nest; and whenever the female left it she was 

 surrounded by a troop ^' screaming horrible acclamations in 

 her honor/^ It is often difficult to judge whether animals 

 have any feeling for the sufferings of others of their kind. 

 Who can say what cows feel when they surround and stare 

 intently on a dying or dead companion; apparently, how- 

 ever, as Houzeau remarks, they feel no pity. That animals 

 sometimes are far from feeling any sympathy is too certain; 

 for they will expel a wounded animal from the herd, or 

 gore or worry it to death. This is almost the blackest fact 

 in natural history, unless, indeed, the explanation which 

 has been suggested is true, that their instinct or reason 

 leads them to expel an injured companion, lest beasts of 

 prey, including man, should be tempted to follow the troop. 

 In this case their conduct is not much worse than that of 

 the North American Indians, who leave their feeble com- 

 rades to perish on the plains; or the Fijians, who, when 

 their parents get old, or fall ill, bury them alive. * 



Many animals, however, certainly sympathize with each 

 other's distress or danger. This is the case even with birds. 

 Capt. Stansburyf found on a salt lake in Utah an old 

 and completely blind pelican, which was very fat, and 

 must have been well fed for a long time by his companions. 

 Mr. Blyth, as he informs me, saw Indian crows feeding two 

 or three of their companions which were blind; and I have 

 heard of an analogous case with the domestic cock. We 

 may, if we choose, call these actions instinctive; but such 

 cases are much too rare for the development of any special 

 instinct. J I have myself seen a dog, who never passed 

 a cat who lay sick in a basket, and was a great friend of his, 

 without giving her a few licks with his tongue, the surest 

 sign of kind feeling in a dog. 



It must be called sympathy that leads a courageous dog 

 to fly at any one who strikes his master, as he certainly will. 



* Sir J. Lubbock, *' Prehistoric Times," 2d edit., p. 446, 

 f As quoted by Mr. L. H. Morgan, The American Beaver," 1868, 

 p. 272. Capt. Stansbury also gives an interesting account of the 

 manner in which a very young pelican, carried away by a strong 

 stream, was guided and encouraged in its attemps to reach the shore 

 by half a dozen old birds. 



} As Mr. Bain states, "effective aid to a sufferer springs from 

 sympathy proper." " Mental and Moral Science," 1868, p. 245. 



