14 FAULTS OF TERMINOLOGY. 



pride or vanity is much more certain in the case of the man 

 than in that of the beautiful bird. 



11. We call a man ' a bear 'in allusion to his rough- 

 ness or gruffness his tone, temper, or manner forgetting 

 that the bear is both an affectionate and intelligent mother. 



12. One schoolboy calls another who is, or is supposed 

 to be, cowardly a hen ; ' but the hen in its condition of 

 maternity at least, in protection of its brood is capable of 

 the exhibition of wonderful bravery. 



13. Alluding to the alleged hopeless stupidity of an- 

 other, a boy stigmatises his companion as ' an ass ' or ' a 

 goose.' But here again the poor animals are grossly ma- 

 ligned ; for both of them, under favourable circumstances, 

 sometimes exhibit great intelligence. 



14. The ass, too, is regarded as the emblem of obsti- 

 nacy and laziness ; but in its natural or wild state, or 

 under proper treatment by man, it is neither an obsti- 

 nate nor a lazy animal. Its vices, when it possesses them, it 

 owes usually to man ; so that in this as in so many other 

 similar cases the misjudged animals have had developed in 

 them, by man's inhumanity, vices that are really more pro- 

 perly human. 



15. A timid child is described as * a sheep ; ' and no 

 doubt the domesticated sheep is an eminently timid animal ; 

 but, on the other hand, the males of certain races, breeds, 

 or species of wild sheep are both courageous and intelligent. 



It were easy to multiply such instances of man's injus- 

 tice and ignorance ; but it is unnecessary to illustrate this 

 subject further here, seeing especially that it is again treated 

 of in the chapter on animal reputation. 



Some of man's phrases that appear on the surface un- 

 complimentary to other animals, because they are obviously 

 intended to be so by those who employ them, are really in 

 a sense complimentary. For instance, when one man is 

 spoken of as * dogging the steps' of another, an unintended 

 tribute is really paid to the fidelity in companionship, to 

 the disinterestedness in servitude, of the dog. The dogging 

 of footsteps by fellow-man is applied to close following for a 

 sinister object, whereas in the dog's faithful following of his 



