COMMISSION OF ERROR. 509 



subject again alluded to under the heads of ' Murder' and 

 'Mental Derangement.' 



Another of man's many delusions in regard to the ' in- 

 stinct' of the lower animals is, that it leads them unerringly 

 to the food most suitable for them, and causes them to reject 

 what is unsuitable or poisonous. The truth is, however, that 

 animals frequently make mistakes in food-selection. Darwin 

 points this out as regards 



1 . Emigrant domestic animals ; and 



2. Caterpillars, in which death results from the refusal 

 of their natural food. 



The young sheep requires the tuition of its mother in 

 regard to the choice of its food. Unaided, it displays a 

 non-recognition of that which is or would be poisonous ; the 

 lamb has a non-discriminating appetite ; there is want of 

 discrimination between the noxious and the wholesome the 

 result simply of ignorance and inexperience. Camels ' have 

 been known to take white stones in their mouths, mistaking 

 them for lumps of salt ' (Prejevalsky). 



Self -poisoning by noxious food is one of the many errors 

 of youth, inexperience or ignorance, and sometimes of curi- 

 osity or cupidity. Fatal accidents occasionally occur in the 

 monkey from its stealing and swallowing poisonous drugs or 

 paints. The young dog chews everything however hard, 

 innutritions and indigestible. Mice have been killed by 

 eating * greenbacks ' they had stolen and hoarded. The 

 vicious ' native cat ' of Australia drowns itself in its greed 

 (Baden Powell). Montagu mentions a shrike 'killed by 

 swallowing too large a quantity of mouse fur which it 

 could not eject.' 



I have elsewhere shown how common accidental suicide 

 by self-poisoning is in some of our colonies, from the use by 

 cattle and sheep, as well as by man, of noxious plants or 

 fruits. 1 



In connection with the subject of food errors, it has also 

 to be borne in mind how common are the mistakes arising 

 from simple repletion with even good and suitable food from 

 engorgement of the stomach in voracious animals a proce- 



1 Vide ' Bibliography.' 



