CHAP. III. GENERAL REMARKS ON ANIMAL PASSIONS. 8Q 



sent of all parties yet without receiving any injury 

 from their seniors. No sooner, however, are they de- 

 parted, than the elder males commence vindictive hat- 

 ties among themselves : the weaker and the more aged 

 are thus killed or driven away ; and the most powerful 

 only being left with the females, the continuance of the 

 race, in all its purity and vigour, is thus wisely pro- 

 vided for and accomplished. We suspect the same 

 takes place, though less generally, among birds ; and, 

 perhaps, the sharp running battles, so constantly wit- 

 nessed in the spring, among a party of sparrows, may 

 be attributed to the same causes. At all other seasons, 

 it deserves especial remark, that every animal, when in 

 a state of nature, and unprovoked, looks upon one of its 

 own kind more as a friend than an enemy. Pro- 

 vocation, or some inciting cause, is necessary to com- 

 mence a quarrel, in all but the worst dispositions. 

 Dogs, indeed, frequently fall out and fight, apparently 

 without a cause ; but this is in their domesticated state ; 

 and, besides, we do not yet know, and probably never 

 shall, the different causes of offence which the brute 

 creation may take from each other. 



(107.) Self-preservation is the last head to which 

 we may refer all the remaining evil passions of the brute 

 creation. The most peaceful and gentle of animals 

 have this instinct implanted at their birth, and generally 

 have the means given for the preservation of life, 

 whether these means are offensive or defensive. The 

 North American bears, unless pressed by extreme hun- 

 ger, will rarely assault a traveller who refrains from 

 molesting them. Mr. Drummond, in his excursions 

 over the Rocky Mountains, had frequent opportunities 

 of observing the manners of the grisly bears (Ursu$ 

 ferox*); and it often happened that, in turning a point 

 of a rock, or sharp angle of a valley, he came sud- 

 denly upon one or more of them. On such occasions, 

 they reared on their hind legs, and made a loud noise. 

 He kept his ground, however, without attempting to 



* Northern Zoology, vol i. p. 27. pi. 1. 



