44 THE HOUSE FLY 



is a pressing need. Travel where you will, you will find 

 the most absurdly erroneous beliefs in reference to natural 

 history subjects are regarded as facts. Most of these 

 beliefs in South Africa have been handed down by the 

 Kafirs and Hottentots, and through lack of any instruction 

 to the contrary they are passed on from generation to 

 generation as facts. 



The boy, believing chameleons and other kinds of lizards 

 to be poisonous, kills them at sight : reptiles are, to him, 

 uncanny, cold-blooded creatures, and are regarded as 

 lawful prey upon which to gratify his destructive instincts. 

 The native birds, which God has evolved for keeping the 

 hosts of insect pests in check, are wantonly shot, trapped, 

 or their nests robbed of eggs or young. 



We may be aptly compared to a garrison of men fighting 

 valiantly against the many enemies by whom they are 

 encompassed, and not being able to recognise the allies 

 who are seeking to render them valuable aid, turn their 

 guns upon them and mow them down. 



Man's hand has ever been against those of his own kind 

 and against his sub-human friends, who have sought to 

 help him along in his struggle for existence, and towards 

 the goal which evolution is directing him, viz. mental, 

 moral and spiritual unfoldment. His hand will continue 

 to be turned against those who seek to uplift him, until 

 such times as his acts are controlled by a suitably educated 

 intellect acting in conjunction with well-balanced and 

 efficiently trained moral and spiritual faculties. 



